Planning and Regulatory Committee - Wednesday, 23 July 2025 10.30 am Same questions - same replies23 Jul 2025 10:38
Planning and Regulatory Committee
23 July 2025
PROCEDURAL MATTERS – PUBLIC QUESTIONS
1. Question submitted by Sarah Freeman
It is now over a year since UKOG lost its permission to drill at Horse Hill. Steps towards restoration have been limited and no time frame appears to have been set by the council or UKOG, is it therefore time for enforcement action to be taken by the council?
Reply:
Enforcement action is being taken and is on-going as this includes discussions with an operator to reach a resolution to an issue. In this case discussions and review of the position remain active in relation to the steps taken toward restoration of the site and the Council’s next steps regarding any further action.
2. Question submitted by Jakki Phillips
When was SCC's last monitoring visit to the Horse Hill site and when is the next visit planned?
Reply:
The last site visit was on 20th March 2025. Whilst another visit has not been undertaken since then, the operator provided updated site pictures, under clear direction from Surrey County Council (SCC) as to what the photos would include. These photos were taken on the 3rd June 2025 and provided to SCC on the same day. These photos were considered sufficient in demonstrating the status of the site at that point in time. There is no fixed date for the next visit at this point but this shall be conducted as required to inform the ongoing enforcement process.
3. Question submitted by Deborah Elliott
This month UKOG relinquished it’s licences for exploration at Broadford Bridge and Loxley sites. Broadford Bridge has not been restored within the time frame allocated and is now subject to a Planning Contravention Notice from West Sussex County Council. How early can Surrey County Council act and serve a similar notice for the Horse Hill site?
Reply:
The actions of a different planning authority on a different site are not relevant to this case. However, a Planning Contravention Notice is an information gathering tool, not a prohibitive notice such as an Enforcement Notice, and is used at the very outset of an investigation. This has already been done in the Horse Hill case.