October 2020 Update

Published by FFBRA on

The consultation for Angus Energy’s current application to flow test at Lower Stumble finished on September 28th. The public responses were nearly 800 objections and only 3 in support.

We now wait for the date when the application will be heard by the West Sussex County Council Planning committee. This is likely to be either on the 10th November or 1st December 2020.

The last application by Angus Energy was in 2019. This was recommended for refusal by the West Sussex County Council Planning Officer on the grounds that ‘the proposed development would represent major development in the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, for which there are no exceptional circumstances, and which is not in the public interest.’. Angus Energy withdrew this application, and so it was never determined by the Planning Committee.

The only significant change between Angus’s previous application and the current one has been the shortening of the period of time for their work, reduced from 36 to 30 months. We hope the Planning Officer will again recommend refusal. His report will be published shortly. The Planning Committee takes great heed of the recommendation of the Planning Officer when determining an application.

FFBRA has over 400 members, who all live in the village and oppose the establishment of the oil industry in Balcombe. FFBRA has greater freedom than the Parish Council to raise funds for things such as the judicial review in 2014, and commissioning an independent consultant to write a hydrology risk report and so having a residents’ association is important.

FFBRA welcomes new members. The more members, the more influential our voice is! Joining is free, and you can join online today!

Related Documentation:

Our Residents Association

FFBRA was formed in 2013 and objects fundamentally to the presence of the oil and gas industry in our village on grounds of air pollution, industrialisation, water use, potential water pollution, earthquakes and health impacts, toxic waste, climate change, noise, traffic, and the imposition on our once peaceful lives of stress and strife. If you would like to become a member you can do so online.

The Flow Test Diary page is recording Angus’ Flow Test Operations and keeping our members and supporters uptodate with the latest information and news happening onsite.

Please help our campaign to keep the Oil and Gas Industry out of Balcombe. Any donation however small will help to fight the next planning application.  You can donate to FFBRA online via Paypal using your Credit or Debit card.


Categories: AngusWSCC