AN OIL company has appealed to the High Court after a government inspector refused permission for "exploratory drilling" in an area of protected woodland.
Last year Europa Oil and Gas was refused permission for the project in Bury Hill Wood, Coldharbour, and last month a planning inspector rejected the company's appeal.
Now the firm is asking the High Court to overturn the inspector's ruling that the project "would be incongruous in its woodland setting".
Europa chief executive Hugh Mackay said: "During a time of challenging macro-economic conditions, hydrocarbon exploration can provide the UK with much-needed inward investment, job creation and tax revenues.
"Holmwood [how Europa refers to the site], with its high level of prospectivity and one-in-three chance of success, has the potential to make a considerable contribution to the national economy."
Europa wants to drill an "exploratory borehole" at the site, which is classed as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Peter Tindall, chairman of Leith Hill Action Group (LHAG), which opposes the project, is hopeful Europa will lose in this third bid to push the scheme through.
"What their reasons are we are not sure, but it may be that the extra money it costs to do this is worth it, whereas giving it up would mean everything has been wasted," he said.
LHAG representatives spoke at the two-week inquiry earlier this year, and Mr Tindall told the Advertiser he is taking legal advice as to the group's possible role in the latest appeal process.
"We will do whatever we can to get the right outcome," he said.
"I think the important thing is that there has been huge support for us.
"Thousands of people have written in from all over Britain and several from abroad, people who are not related to us.
"So we have got a sense of responsibility to all these people who have given their support and congratulations after the decision.
"We have got a responsibility to see this through right to the end.
"It is a pain, but with the right effort we will see the right decision at the end.
"We are not against oil, it's just that we think there are better ways to get to this particular site."
A Surrey County Council spokesman said: "We are considering all the issues and haven't yet made a decision as to our part in the process."
