LATEST UPDATE - 15TH APRIL 2009
More than 1,000 people have already objected via the local campaign - see the full news article, and please keep reading below to find out why we need YOU to object too.


Details:
Europa Oil and Gas has applied to drill for oil at Bury Hill Wood which is part of the Abinger Forest, Surrey. The hydrocarbon exploration site (or oil well as most people know it!) will result in the loss of 0.74 hectares (1.8 acres) of precious ancient woodland. The testing phase of the application will last a minimum of five weeks, however depending on what is found the works could last significantly longer.

To construct a hydrocarbon exploration bore hole will include the mobilisation of a drilling rig and equipment requiring highways access, loss of ancient woodland and track improvements, all of which will disturb the ancient woodland’s habitat and wildlife. Once destroyed ancient woodland can not be recreated.

The Trust is well aware of the energy crisis that is being faced by the UK, but we do not believe that the destruction of a valuable and irreplaceable habitat such as ancient woodland is a sustainable method to address this need. Evidence indicates that the steady increase of CO2 in the atmosphere is partly due to exploitation of fossil fuels. Climate change presents a severe threat to the future well-being of all life on earth and in particular presents substantial short and long term risks to the conservation of forests, woodlands and trees. To take steps to address this the Trust believes that we should be moving towards renewable sources of energy which will allow the replacement of fossil fuels and avoid release of ancient stocks of carbon accumulated over millions of years. Read more about our position on Climate Change.


Planning application:
A planning application is currently being considered by Surrey County Council (SCC) and there is still time for YOU to influence their decision. Read more about the plans on their site(  http://www1.surreycc.gov.uk/mwplan/default.cfm) by searching under application reference: 2008/0169/PS.


Take action now!
We are very concerned about these plans and have registered our objection. We need you to send your objection into Surrey Country Council too.

Please write your own letter as this will carry more weight with Surrey County Council - below are some of the issues you might consider including:

There will be direct loss of ancient woodland which is irreplaceable. Ancient woodland is technically protected under Planning Policy Statement 9 but there are caveats and the planning authority needs to be reminded of this protection.
As a way to make up for the loss of ancient woodland the applicant plans to remove the top soil, store it for the duration of the project and then replace it and replant with trees. This form of habitat translocation is unsuitable for ancient woodland as part of the value of ancient woodland is the undisturbed nature of the soils, which will obviously be completely destroyed by these activities.

You can find further information about the application on the local campaign group website.

Each household member should write a personalised letter of objection to SCC. Each letter will "count" with SCC provided it is received by the new deadline 24th June 2009.

Please register your objection with Surrey County Council by emailing  mwcd@surreycc.gov.uk or write to:

Hilary Herbert
Planning Manager
Environment & Regulation
Surrey County Council
County Hall
Kingston-upon-Thames
Surrey
KT1 2DY

You need to include your name and address, making sure that you quote the application reference 2008/0169/ PS.

Send us a copy of your objection e-mail to:  woodsunderthreat@woodlandtrust.org.uk

Thank you!