Egdon Joins Europa in Challenging Ban on Surrey Site

Egdon Resources has joined Europa Oil & Gas in contesting a British government decision to stop development of a site in Surrey.

Mark Abbott, managing director of Egdon, confirmed to Natural Gas Europe that all the partners in the Holmwood development project will join in an appeal to the UK High Court.

The site, Holmwood, is in the Weald Basin, south of the town of Dorking and east of Guildford, an an area designated of outstanding natural beauty (AONB). Egdon has a 38% share of the block, PEDL 143.

 Surrey County Council initially refused permission to develop the area last year. Egdon and its partners in the project, Europa, Warwick Energy and Altwood Petroleum, appealed that decision. The case then went to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Eric Pickles. Mr Pickles quashed the appeal.

Last week Europa announced it would ask the High Court to overturn Mr Pickles' endorsement of Surrey Council's refusal to grant planning permission.

Egdon Resources describes itself as an established UK-based exploration and production company primarily focused on onshore exploration and production in the hydrocarbon-producing basins of the UK and Europe. Egdon currently holds interests in 30 licences in the UK and France and has an active programme within its portfolio of oil and gas assets. Egdon was formed in 1997 and listed on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) in December 2004.

See earlier story: Court challenge for UK development refusal