Campaigner urges more objections to oil drilling plans

A campaigner fighting renewed oil drilling plans in Surrey has said it is "not too late" for others to object.

In 2024, the Supreme Court overturned an application to extract hundreds of thousands of tonnes of oil from the Horse Hill area of Horley as it failed to consider the full climate impact of burning oil from new wells.

Fresh plans have since been submitted.

Sarah Finch, who is campaigning against the new wells, said: "We have to fight them again." UK Oil and Gas Plc has been approached for comment.

Finch, from Balcombe in West Sussex, told BBC Radio Surrey that she felt "optimistic" having beaten the plans once before.

"The climate crisis has got more urgent and more extreme," she said.

"I'm sure the decision-makers on Surrey County Council can't have avoided noticing that."

The authority had previously granted the original, overturned application. It will now decide again on the second bid.

The council has been approached for comment.

Finch added that people could object to the plans right up until the council made its decision.

Formal consultation closed on 13 July.

"It's not too late to have your say," Finch added.

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