Business
Appeal against Loxley planning decision
Appeal against Loxley planning decision.
About this update from Uk Oil & Gas Plc
[{"type":"text","content":"\n \n \n \n RNS Number : 9252I\n UK Oil & Gas PLC\n 17 December 2020\n \n \n \n \n UK Oil & Gas PLC\n \n \n (\"UKOG\" or the \"Company\")\n \n \n \n \n \n Appeal against Loxley planning decision\n \n \n \n \n \n UK Oil & Gas PLC (London AIM: UKOG) today announces that following detailed consultations with the Company's QC and planning advisers, the Company will now launch an appeal against Surrey County Council's (\"SCC\") 15 December 2020 decision to refuse planning consent for the Company's 100% owned Loxley gas appraisal project. The Company plans to submit an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate early in the New Year, with an expectation that a public hearing or inquiry will be held in the following 6-9 months. \n \n \n \n \n \n Leading Counsel has advised that there are strong grounds to expect a positive appeal outcome, as the cited grounds for refusal are in direct conflict with both SCC's Planning and Highway Officer's reports and the Officers' two separate recommendations for approval. \n \n \n \n \n \n An appeal will enable an independent professional inspector from the Planning Inspectorate to consider the evidence and come to an objective, evidence-based decision which determines whether the temporary Loxley development meets the requirements of the Town and Country Planning Act and other relevant policy guidance. \n \n \n \n \n \n At both the 29 June and 27 November 2020 SCC planning committee meetings, UKOG also highlighted the role that a successful Loxley gas project would play in the government's low-carbon hydrogen policy, in which natural gas is reformed into clean burning hydrogen, with an envisaged 85% saving in related carbon emissions. Domestic gas has approximately a quarter of the carbon emissions of imported liquefied natural gas.\n \n \n \n \n \n The importance of such domestic gas as part of the net zero transition was further underscored by this week's Written Ministerial Statement and Energy White Paper, in which it was acknowledged: \"The UK's domestic oil and gas industry has a critical role in maintaining the country's energy security and is a major contributor to the economy\".\n \n \n \n \n \n It continued: \"The projections for demand for oil and gas, though much reduced, is forecast to continue for decades to come\",...