Ciao a tutti,
Few weeks I was at the Leg of Steel cycling event organised by Ful On Tri and I have some people from the community of Leith Hill,a cycling mecca for Londoners & non Londoners...but for those HILL CLIMBERS....
This what they say about the drilling at Leith Hill.
RISK TO WATER SUPPLY
Drilling through aquifer – Sutton & East Surrey Water objected on grounds of “risk to water supply” (BBC News)
RISK OF SERIOUS AIR POLLUTION
Gas aring “permitted between 7am and 7.30pm except in an emergency”
IRREPARABLE DAMAGE TO ANCIENT SUNKEN LANE
Coldharbour Lane is hundreds of years old, near unique and only 3.8 metres wide in places – a recent survey shows landmark trees at risk
TRAFFIC CHAOS & ROAD SAFETY
Over 1,000+ HGV movements up and down Coldharbour Lane, including a massive self-propelled oil rig 19 metres long and 60 tonnes crane. Safety concerns for cyclists, mountain bikers, walkers and joggers
WIRED-OFF COMPOUND ON PUBLIC LAND
3 metre high security fencing around C. one hectare of natural forest woodland supporting threatened species of ora and fauna – the area will be clear felled
35 METRE HIGH MASSIVE OIL RIG
Nearly twice the height of Leith Hill Tower, it is so tall it needs an aircraft warning light and 24 hour oodlit compound
DESECRATING YOUR AONB & GREEN BELT
Proposed drill site in Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, a place of great landscape heritage in the Green Belt. The impacts
of the development could not be wholly reversed - it’s estimated it would take 25 years to replicate the appearance of the site.
RED LIST SPECIES ON SITE
Birds that frequent the site are on the
RSPB Red List as globally threatened with severe decline (up to 50%) in UK breeding population and loss of range in last 25 years
LOCAL DEMOCRACY OVERRULED
A sustained community campaign won a public inquiry in 2012 but was overthrown in 2014 by a High Court ruling in favour of drilling “in the national interest”
EXPLORATORY DRILLING OR FULL SCALE PRODUCTION?
Planning permission to date is for exploratory drilling but the oil company refuse to rule out full scale production
METHOD OF EXTRACTION
Conventional drilling may give way to novel extraction methods through ‘acidisation’ – toxic chemicals pumped deep into the earth to loosen the so-called ‘tight’ oil
MASS INDUSTRIALISATION OF THE WEALD
Referring to ‘tight oil’, Stephen Sanderson, CEO of UK Oil & Gas Investments (UKOG) says “This type of oil deposit very much depends on being able to drill your wells almost back to back so it becomes very much like an industrialised process”
SURREY HILLS AREA OF OUTSTANDING NATURAL BEAUTY OIL PRODUCTION
Other sites in planning, preparation or production include Brockham, Horsehill, Albury, Broadford Bridge, Palmer’s Wood (Godstone), King’s Farm (South Godstone), and others. Brockhamoilwell.co.uk
NEGATIVE IMPACT ON PROPERTY PRICES
“There is no compelling need for oil site in Surrey Hills” public inquiry told.
THIS NEED NOT HAPPEN BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP...
