Kelsey oil drilling plan: '˜Considerable problems' to come

Lincolnshire county councillors gave the green light for two plans to extend drilling in Smithfield Road, North Kelsey and Biscathorpe near Louth.

Egdon Resources submitted plans to extend the time it spends drilling for oil at both sites, blaming the lack of work on low oil prices.

The time allocated will now be extended by three years.

Coun Strange said: “I’m afraid it was allowed through.

“North and South Kelsey and Moortown will be affected.

“We had about 30 people in the gallery very upset about it.

“I feel slightly rattled it’s been allowed through.

“It’s going to cause a considerable amount of problems for eight weeks - it might be now, or it might be in three years’ time.

“I feel very sorry for the people, it’ll be noisy.”

An application to explore for hydrocarbons at the site in Louth was approved in March 2015, and in North Kelsey in 2014.

Production work expired at both of the sites recently.

Paul Foster, speaking on behalf of Egdon, said there is a need to explore for fossil fuels.

He said: “Government policy is clear on the need for indigenous fossil fuels.

“Even as we move towards a low carbon future.”

In North Kelsey, councillors had initially raised concern about the state of Smithfield Road following more drilling and movement of heavy goods vehicles.

Campaigner Amanda Suddaby said Egdon had been using a local level crossing route in order to gain access to the site, a move which is not included in the planning permission - but Mr Foster denies this.