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Gove approves gas drilling alongside Surrey Hills

By Mary Reid | Wed 8th June 2022 - 5:22 pm

Surrey Hills is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and yet this Government, in the person of Michael Gove, has just given planning permission for oil and gas drilling adjacent to it.

The report by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities states that “there are significant harms to the character and appearance of the landscape from the proposal,” and that it would “degrade the quality of the setting of the AONB.” But it dismisses these concerns and claims they are outweighed by the benefits of gas exploration.

Where to begin? Are we or are we not in the middle of a climate emergency? Oil and gas drilling should not be permitted even in the ugliest of industrial landscapes, but to allow it here, in a precious and unique landscape, is simply vandalism.

It is shameful the Conservatives have ignored concerns of local communities & given the green light to oil + gas drilling in Surrey hills.

Gove must reconsider this reckless decision. It risks irreparable damage to our countryside and undermines efforts on the climate emergency.

— Ed Davey (@EdwardJDavey) June 8, 2022

Ed also said:

The best way to improve energy security is to wean ourselves off fossil fuels, by investing in renewables and insulating people’s homes. Instead this Conservative government is trashing our environment by allowing oil drilling in green fields for years to come.

He is joined in condemnation by our two Parliamentary candidates in the area: