local issues
STOP GATWick expansion
An Planning Inspectorate Examination is currently underway looking at Gatwick’s Northern Runway Proposal. These plans would see Gatwick increase to the size of Heathrow, doubling passenger numbers to around 80 million and increasing the number of flights by 100,000 per year.
We joined other local campaign groups, CAGNE and GACC, along with Stop Airport Expansion and Safe Landing to show our opposition on the day of the first Open Hearing.
Join the Stop Gatwick Expansion Telegram group to find out more about how to get involved
The river mole
In March we brought together local residents who are concerned about the levels of pollution in our local river for a series of walks along the River Mole.
In a follow up event, we heard about River Mole River Watch – a new initiative to monitor pollution levels and working to return the River Mole to good ecological status. People were encouraged to write letters to their MPs, Thames Water and DEFRA and to join us on Friday, 21st April when we are taking our ‘Dirty Water’ campaign to DEFRA, as part of The Big One.
brockham oil well
In April 2022 Surrey County Council approved an application from Angus Energy to produce oil from a Brockham well until 2036. This permission was granted citing reasons of energy security, despite there being no guarantee that any oil extracted would be used in this country – it will be sold on the open market to the highest bidder.
To extract more oil flies in the face of climate science, which makes clear that if we were to burn all existing known reserves of fossil fuels it will take us over dangerous climate thresh-holds. The United Nations, International Energy Agency and 700 scientists have said there must be no new oil and gas developments if we want to avoid catastrophic climate impacts.
We will be uniting with other NGOs and concerned citizens at Parliament for The Big One, April 21st-24th, to demand an end to new fossil fuel developments.
For the latest information on Brockham oil site visit the Weald Action Group website.
horse hill
Surrey County Council granted permission for a further 20 years of drilling and four new wells at Horse Hill oil extraction site in September 2019. This decision is the subject of a legal challenge headed up by campaigner Sarah Finch, which will be heard at the Supreme Court in June 2023.
On Monday, 24th April we will be joining with other NGOs and concerned citizens to picket government departments, demanding that the government stop the search for new fossil fuels immediately in a transition towards reparatory justice. This should be led by emergency citizens’ assemblies to let the people decide how to end the fossil fuel era quickly and fairly.
More information about the Horse Hill site can be found on Weald Action Group website.
