Concerns over oil well site time extension plans near Caistor

Egdon Resources was initially granted permission for exploration of the site at North Kelsey Moor in 2014.

Work is yet to start on the site to the east of Smithfield Road and a number of time extensions have been approved by Lincolnshire County Council.

This latest application, if granted, would see the time to restore the site extended to 12 months from the date of the decision (from December 31, 2021).

Speaking at the January meeting of Caistor Town Council, when the application came before the planning committee for consultation the first time in its seven-year history, Coun Jayne Bowman said: “I feel very unhappy about it.

“I agree with the West Lindsey report speaking volumes about it being unsustainable and the green agenda .

“They have waited this long to do anything about it, it will doubtless cause unnecessary concern for the local area.”

Coun John Wright agreed, adding: “They are just kicking a can down the road asking for this extension.”

With councillors voting to object to the application, chairman of Caistor Town Council’s planning committee, Coun Steve Gaughan, suggested using the West Lindsey District Council observations as the basis for their comments.

The West Lindsey correspondence from last year has been resubmitted and makes two points:

l It was noted that planning permission was originally granted eight years ago in 2014 with seemingly little progress made. Concern was expressed as to the extent and lack of progress with the exploration and the committee is not convinced of the justification for requiring yet a further extension to the time limit.

l With the increasing green agenda, concern was also expressed in regards to the extraction of a finite resource the exploitation of which is ultimately unsustainable, when there are more sustainable alternatives that are available.

During the public participation section of the town council’s monthly meeting, local campaigner Amanda Suddaby thanked councillors for the conclusion they came to on the well site and for voting against the time extension.

She aid: “This extension would take them in to their eighth year and in that time they have done practically nothing on this site; they have just laid a few yards of Tarmac.

“The lengthy delays have created immense uncertainty and anxiety for local people and has impacted upon people’s lives.

“As well as the time extension on this application, they are also asking to side-track drill, which is very different from vertical drilling, which is what the original application was for.”

In their response, Lincolnshire Highways had requested further information on the change in drilling direction as the lateral borehole shows a horizontal path going underneath the highway.

They have asked what impacts this could have on the road and its surroundings?

Ms Suddaby went on to express concerns over the potential damage to the tourist economy of the surrounding area and how the site would ‘compromise environmentally sensitive farming adjacent to the site, as well as highlighting environmental and unsustainability issues already mentioned.

l Full details of the application can be found on the Lincolnshire County Council planning site (lincolnshire.planning-register.co.uk/) where planning application number PL/0167/21 applies.