Oil Drilling in Quorn

UPDATE - it appears that nothing has come of this application and things have gone strangely quiet. It confirms my fears about the motivation for the application in the first place - and this had nothing to do with finding oil.

Please note that the site in question, although adjacent to Quorn village is actually in the Charnwood Constituency (Woodhouse Parish) and therefore something over which I work with the neighbouring MP, Stephen Dorrell.
I led a delegation in 2002, along with Stephen Dorrell MP, to see the Minister for Energy to stop the applicants being granted a licence to actually carry out the drilling.

The likelihood of finding oil should be taken into account at the time that final decisions are taken. We are confident that based on our information, the Minister is unlikely to grant such an application.
My report from Jan 2002:

This is one of those issues where it is difficult for an MP to become too involved - as this is mainly a planning application which rightly should be decided by the relevant planning authority. In this case it is Leicestershire County Council. My role in this is to ensure that the genuine concerns of the local residents are heard at the County Council and that their representations are taken on board. This is what I have done.

However, this is also an important strategic decision and if the application is approved on February 14th 2002 I will be joining Stephen Dorrell and asking for it to be 'called-in' by the Secretary of State for DTLR for further consideration - or a 'public Inquiry'. The matter is of such strategic importance to the use of the Charnwood Forest.

I can fully understand where officers have made a recommendation to approve on their understanding of the planning guidance but I am urging members of the Committee to refuse on the grounds that the environmental impact on the area is severe enough to take into account the dubious nature of the technology used to 'find' oil and the genuine concern that the geology of the company is equally suspect.

Last updated Summer 2002