Campaigners to send ‘A Message to you, Rishi’ about Biscathorpe

Campaigners at The Priory Hotel in Louth, learning a song 'A Message to you, Rishi'. Front left: Tamsin Hunkin, Amada Suddaby and Mathilda Dennis with musicians Brad and Jim.

Permission for the oil development in the village of Biscathorpe was first granted in 2014, and the current application for further drilling and 15 years of production was refused by Lincolnshire County Council in 2021.

The applicant, Egdon Resources, then launched an appeal against that decision which was then overturned by the planning inspector in November 2023.

Egdon’s oil production site is situated close to the River Bain chalk stream, and SOS Biscathorpe’s argument is that the impact on the landscape and the climate crisis outweigh the site’s uncertain and negligible contribution to national energy security.

Campaigners at The Priory Hotel in Louth, learning a song 'A Message to you, Rishi'. Photos: Dave Dawson Photography

CPRE The Countryside Charity, Lincolnshire County Council, several nearby Parish councils, and Louth & Horncastle MP, Victoria Atkins have all objected to the plans, with the latter stating in a letter “not to allow an application to go ahead which will do long term damage to the Lincolnshire Wolds, its natural environment, and our local communities”.

And now, SOS Biscathorpe, headed up by Mathilda Dennis and represented by the environment team at law firm Leigh Day, have launched a legal challenge against the decision by the Planning Inspectorate and Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities.

Mathilda Dennis, the claimant, said: “SOS Biscathorpe is fighting on behalf of every community up and down the UK that wants to protect our natural environment for the long term health of the planet and its people.”

A ruling is expected in Spring 2024 on whether the application for permission to bring a statutory review of the inspector’s decision has been successful. If granted, the case will proceed to a substantive hearing.

Campaigners learning a song 'A Message to you, Rishi'.

SOS Biscathorpe is crowdfunding to support the legal claim and have raised nearly half of

the initial £20,000 needed, which can be found at https://www.gofundme.com/f/SaveBiscathorpe

To help attract support for the campaign, the group have procured permission from Dandy Livingstone to re-record the song “A Message to You Rudy” made famous by The Specials, with re-written lyrics and musical accompaniment from musicians Brad and Jim.

This will form the basis of a campaign video for use on social media, and the campaigners met at the Priory Hotel in Louth on Sunday (February 4) to practice the song.

Singers learning a song 'A Message to you, Rishi'.

Tamsin Hunkin, a member of SOS Biscathorpe, who has worked on the song said: “Campaigning is hard work so this is a bit of light relief to help lift spirits and it’s also a fun way to share a very important message.”

Fellow member Amanda Suddaby added: “New oil development is completely at odds with the global consensus, confirmed at COP28, that we must move away from fossil fuels.”

“As far as the AONB is concerned, if allowed to go ahead, we fear this development could be the thin end of the wedge. At Wressle in North Lincs, where Egdon only began production in 2022, they have already applied to extend the site and add a further two wells, as well as seeking permission to carry out small scale hydraulic fracturing (fracking).”

The office of the Planning Inspectorate and Egdon Resources both declined to comment on the legal challenge by SOS Biscathorpe.