Key information that will determine the future of the Horse Hill oil site in Surrey has been delayed, officials have revealed.

The details, including data on the climate impact of oil production, had been expected this week.

But it emerged this morning that the information is not now expected until next year.

The Horse Hill site, near Redhill, was stripped of its planning permission in June 2024 after a landmark judgement at the Supreme Court.

Justices ruled that planning permission for long-term oil production, granted by Surrey County Council in September 2019, was unlawful. They said decisionmakers had failed to take into account the climate impact of the use of the oil.

The site operator, a subsidiary of UK Oil & Gas plc, must now submit these details and others so that the application can be reconsidered.

In a question to Surrey County Council’s planning committee today, local campaigner Jackie Macey asked why the information had been delayed.

Planning officer, Sian Saadeh replied:

“Necessary information was still being prepared as of the 15th of December.

“There were a number of surveys that the applicant had to undertake because they needed to be updated and, due to the passage of times since they had previously been done, they were received, I think, later than they had hoped.

“And then they [UKOG] have to assess those surveys and prepare the Environmental statement.

“We are being advised that we can expect that now in the early part of the new year, although I don’t have a specific date. But we are assured [the work is] well underway in terms of its process and should be with us in early 2026, at which point public consultation can begin.”

In reply to another question Ms Saadeh said it was “too early to say when this information will be made publicly available”.

Question of “bias”

Another Surrey resident asked whether the county council was biased towards fossil fuel companies by treating them more leniently in planning terms.

John Blewett said Horse Hill had continued oil production for four months after its planning permission was quashed, while the Brockham site, operated by Angus Energy, had drilled a well without planning permission.

Ms Saadeh said:

“The [Horse Hill] site is the subject of an on-going enforcement investigation and voluntary cessation of oil production was achieved in October 2024.

“The specifics of each site and every application will be considered on their own merits.

“It is not considered that either of the examples cited demonstrate a leniency or a bias as the appropriate process has been followed in each instance.”

In a follow-up question, Mr Blewett asked whether it was “appropriate” for oil production at Horse Hill to be halted only after a protest led to extensive public awareness.

Ms Saadeh said the voluntary cessation of oil production had been done without formal notice being served on the site operator. She said:

“It is normal process to try to work to remedy a breach without having to have recourse to formal action to seek to do that. Through informal means is normal and good practise.

“I don’t believe there is anything in the way that the matter has been handled which gives rise to any of the issues raised in the original question.”

“Suspension continues”

Officials visited Horse Hill on 26 November 2025 to assess what was happening at the site.

In reply to a public question, they said:

“Officers were able to confirm that the wellsite remained suspended.

“Following this inspection, officers have remained in communication with the site operator, discussing the ongoing planning enforcement investigation.

“Any discussions on planning enforcement are being held discretely without prejudice to any ongoing communication on the determination of planning application.”