Angus Energy granted Appeal
We have received the devastating news that Angus Energy have been granted their appeal. This comes after West Sussex County Council Planning Committee refused Angus Energy’s application to extract drilling fluids and conduct an extended well test at Lower Stumble, Balcombe a UNANIMOUS VOTE.
The Planning Committee decided that Angus Energy’s application did not meet the necessary criteria of exceptional circumstances and being in the public interest to permit a major development in a protected place, in this case the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Angus submitted an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate in February 2022.
A copy of the Appeal Decision can be found here
The reasons for granting the appeal are as follows:
- I have found that all adverse impacts of the development could be acceptably
mitigated in planning terms but with the notable exception that there would be
moderate adverse impact on the landscape of the AONB, contrary to the MSDP
and NPPF. - Even such moderate harm to the AONB carries great weight in terms of the
NPPF. Against that is to be balanced the evident national need I have identified
for continued hydrocarbon exploration and assessment in the interests of
energy supply security pending ultimate transition net carbon-zero energy
provision. - In my overall judgement, the national need is the overriding consideration and
furthermore amounts to the requisite exceptional justification for permitting
this major development within the High Weald AONB. - I accordingly conclude that this appeal should be allowed and that the planning
permission sought should be granted, subject to the conditions discussed
above and set out in the Schedule appended below.
The documentation of the appeal is available on the WSCC website and contains the following documents:
Angus Energy Statement of Case
WSCC Statement of Case
