Biscathorpe: Egdon Resources oil drilling plan examined at appeal

An appeal over plans to drill for oil in the Lincolnshire Wolds will be considered on Tuesday.

Egdon Resources applied for permission at a site in the village of Biscathorpe but the plans were rejected by Lincolnshire County Council.

Campaigners raised climate concerns and said the benefits did not outweigh the harmful impact on the area.

The firm appealed against the council's decision and a planning inspector will examine the application at the hearing.

Egdon Resources said its plans could draw 30 million barrels of oil from the site and provide supplies for 15 years, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

But councillors and campaigners said the proposals would spoil the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

The application was rejected in November 2021 because of its impact on the area, the effect of lighting and noise and because it was considered to be in conflict with the council's minerals and waste local plan.

Egdon appealed against the decision.

The company's managing director Mark Abbot told a Lincolnshire County Council meeting there is "a national need for onshore oil".

He said that Russia's invasion of Ukraine had led to significant rises in oil prices and volatility in pricing.

A government planning inspector will look at the application and the council's decision during a one-day hearing at Kenwick Park Hotel, near Louth, from 10:00 BST.

Follow BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].