Vote on the Woodsetts application, 8 March 2018. Photo: DrillOrDrop

2018 decisions

Last updated 16 August 2018

16 August 2018: Ineos/Bramleymoor Lane – APPEAL ALLOWED

Planning inspector, Elizabeth Hill, allowed Ineos’s appeal against non-determination of plans for shale gas exploration at Bramleymoor Lane, Marsh Lane in Derbyshire. Breaking news and reaction

8 August 2018: Angus Energy/Brockham – GRANTED

Surrey County Council’s planning committee granted retrospective planning permission for a oil exploration sidetrack drilled in 2017. The committee also allowed continued use of the wellhead and for appraisal of the sidetrack for three years. Live news updates and reaction 

1 August 2018: Egdon/Wressle – REFUSED

North Lincolnshire Council’s planning committee unanimously voted to refuse permission to Egdon Resources for another three years at its oil exploration site at Wressle. Live news updates and reaction

7 June 2018: Ineos/Harthill – APPEAL ALLOWED

Planning inspector, Stephen Roscoe, allowed Ineos’s appeal against non-determination of plans for shale gas exploration at Common Road, Harthill, South Yorkshire. Details and reaction

29 May 2018: IGas/Albury – GRANTED

Surrey County Council planning officers granted planning permission under delegated powers for the production and export of gas from the oil site. Details (see end of post)

23 May 2018: Europa/Bury Hill Wood (Holmwood/Leith Hill) – GRANTED

For the second time, Surrey County Council approved plans for fencing and  buildings at the Bury Hill Wood site near Leith Hill. Live news updates

14 May 2018: Egdon/North Kelsey – GRANTED

Lincolnshire County Councillors unanimously approved Egdon’s application to drill and test an oil well at North Kelsey. Live news updates 

14 May 2018: Egdon/Biscathorpe – GRANTED

Lincolnshire County Councillors unanimously approved Egdon’s application to drill and test an oil well at Biscathorpe. Live news updates 

24 April 2018: Angus Energy/Lidsey – GRANTED

West Sussex County Council approved Angus Energy’s application to continue oil production at the Lidsey site near Bognor Regis for 10 more years. Details

8 March 2018: Ineos/Woodsetts – REFUSED

Labour-controlled Rotherham Metropolitan Council unanimously refused permission for Ineos’s vertical coring well at Woodsetts on ecological and highway grounds. DrillOrDrop live news updates and reaction report

5 February 2018: Ineos/Marsh Lane – OPPOSED

Conservative-controlled Derbyshire County Council voted 9-1 to oppose Ineos plans for vertical shale gas exploration well at Bramleymoor Lane, Marsh Lane, when it goes to a public inquiry on 19 June 2018. DrillOrDrop live updates and reaction report

Public applause for the opposition to INEOS plans for Marsh Lane, 5 February 2018. Photo: DrillOrDrop

25 January 2018: IGas/Ellesmere Port – REFUSED

Labour-controlled Cheshire West and Chester Council refused plans by IGas for testing the Pentre Chert formation at its existing gas well at Portside in Ellesmere Port. The company is considering an appeal. The council says the vote was 10-1 against the application. DrillOrDrop report

Opponents of IGas plans outside Cheshire West and Chester Council. Photo: DrillOrDrop

25 January 2018: Ineos/Harthill – OPPOSED

Labour-controlled Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council’s planning board voted unanimously to oppose Ineos’s shale gas vertical well for Harthill when it goes to a public inquiry due to start on 24 April 2018. DrillOrDrop

Site visit to the proposed Harthill lorry route, 25 January 2018. Photo: Paul Rowland

24 January 2018: Cuadrilla/Roseacre Wood – OPPOSED

Conservative-controlled Lancashire County Council’s development control committee voted unanimously to oppose Cuadrilla’s traffic management plans for Roseacre Wood when they go to a public inquiry scheduled to start on 10 April 2018. DrillOrDrop report

Cuadrilla’s revised proposals for traffic routes to Roseacre Wood – opposed by Lancashire County Council , 24 January 2018. Map: Cuadrilla Resources

9 January 2018: Cuadrilla/Balcombe – APPROVED

Conservative-controlled West Sussex County Council voted unanimously to allow Cuadrilla’s application for flow testing at its horizontal well at Balcombe. (Site operation has since been transferred to Angus Energy). DrillOrDrop report

Speakers at West Sussex County Council planning meeting, 9 January 2018. Photo: DrillOrDrop

4 January 2018: Egdon/Wressle appeal – DISMISSED

Planning inspector, Keri Williams, backed two decisions by Conservative-controlled North Lincolnshire Council to refuse permission to Egdon Resources for acidisation, proppant squeeze and oil production at Wressle, near Scunthorpe. The planning inquiry was in November 2017 and the applications refused in January and July 2017. DrillOrDrop report

Planning inspector, Keri Williams, at the Wressle inquiry in November 2017. Photo: DrillOrDrop

Applications in the planning system

Last updated: 9 March 2018

Aurora Resources/Altcar Moss, Lancashire SCP/2018/0001

Aurora has submitted a scoping request to Lancashire County Council for drilling and fracking two wells near Formby. No formal application has been submitted.

Europa/Bury Hill Wood (also called Holmwood and Leith Hill),  Surrey SCC Ref 2016/0170

This scheme, approved in August 2015 for three years, is waiting for the final approval of the traffic management plan. The most recent version of the TMP has been withdrawn, as an appeal against non-determination. There is no current date when it will return to Surrey County Council for a final decision. The current planning permission expires on 8 August 2018.

IGas/Ince Marshes, Cheshire

IGas submitted a scoping request in October 2017 to drill and frack two shale gas wells at an already drilled site at Protos (formerly known as Ince Resource Recovery Park). The existing well would be reinstated and used to monitor drilling and testing the two new wells. Link to scoping request

Third Energy/pipeline and Vale of Pickering sites

Third Energy has requested screening opinions on extending the duration of planning permissions for its gas pipeline to Knapton Generating Station and the Vale of Pickering sites

UKOG/Markwells Wood, West Sussex SDNP/16/04679/CM

UK Oil and Gas (Investments) PLC withdrew its application for 20 years of oil production in May 2017 and said it would submit a new one by the end of the year. This has not happened and the site has no planning permission. The South Downs National Park Authority issued a breach of condition notice

Ones to watch

We’ll also be looking out for applications expected to be submitted by:

• IGas plans for drilling and fracking at Elton in Cheshire
• Egdon Resources for additional wells in Lincolnshire
• INEOS has identified possible shale gas sites on Forestry Commission land at The Lings near Edwinstowe and Thieves Wood near Ravenshead, both in Nottinghamshire
• UKOG says it will submit an application in PEDL331 on the Isle of Wight and in the Broadford Bridge licence in West Sussex

Please let us know about any other proposals which have not yet reached planning application stage by clicking here

DrillOrDrop has reported on all the 2018 decision meetings listed on this page. This has been possible because of donations by individual DrillOrDrop readers.