NEWS that not one but two oil companies want to drill at Dunsfold has fanned fears there could eventually be wells every two to four miles across the Weald.

UKOG is currently seeking to extend its oil drilling operation at Horse Hill near Dorking, and applied in June to Surrey County Council for consent for a five-acre site near Dunsfold Park.

But it has already had to revise its application, because the original access would have impacted sites of reptile activity in an Area of High Archaeological Potential.

Last week, IGas, which owns the adjoining licence PEDL 235 that extends to Witley and Haslemere, announced it would also be submitting an application close by at Loxhill.

IGas currently operates a number of sites across the Weald Basin – like UKOG, it now wants to explore the Godley Bridge field around Chiddingfold.

Announcing its plans in letters to Dunsfold residents, IGas asset manager Chris Hird said: “We intend to seek planning permission for the construction of a new hydrocarbon exploration and appraisal wellsite and its operation for a temporary period of up to four years. This includes a compound with ancillary welfare, vehicular access and landscaping and the drilling of up two exploration and appraisal wells and associated testing. It also includes plug and abandonment of the wells and site restoration.”

IGas is holding its first information event from 4pm on Thursday, August 1, at Winn Hall, Dunsfold.

Campaigners from the Waverley Against Drilling action group already battling UKOG are now also on a war footing over the IGas plan – as is offshoot Protect our Dunsfold.

Protect Our Dunsfold member Hazel Taylor-Rosling said: “I wonder if things can get any worse for this little village. If these oil companies find what they are looking for, we can all expect to feel the effects.

“The Weald will change beyond all recognition. We will become one giant oilfield.”

On Tuesday, Surrey County Council (SCC) declared a climate change emergency, as Extinction Rebellion members staged a ‘die-in’ protest (see Page 4).

Afterwards Godalming XR founder Chris Neill objected it would now be “completely inappropriate” to approve any drilling for fossil fuels.

“Looking for fossil fuels in the ground is completely inconsistent with SCC’s Climate Change Emergency declaration,” he said.

“SCC says it has its hands tied – we think it needs to review its very outdated mineral policies so it can resist these planning applications.”