THE search for oil at a remote woodland location was given the go-ahead by West Sussex County Council on Tuesday despite strong opposition from conservationists and residents, as well as Chichester District Council and the council's own landscape officer and ecologist.
Campaigners say the scheme will destroy irreplaceable ancient woodland at Markwells Wood, near Forestside, north- west of Chichester.
The site is 600 metres from the nearest home and the well will connect straight into the same resources used by
already operational wells at Singleton and Horndean.
Northern Petroleum (GB) Ltd was granted permission by the county planning committee to create the site with drilling rig and exploration well, subject to a series of conditions including noise, hours of working, landscaping and restoration.
Alice Farr of the Woodland Trust said: "Markwells Wood is 11 hectares of ancient woodland within the Sussex Downs area of outstanding natural beauty. This scheme will result in the loss of a hectare of ancient woodland which is protected under local, regional and national planning laws.
"Ancient woodland is the richest habitat for species in the UK, the UK's equivalent of rainforests. We know there are bats and badgers in the locale which are very likely to be disturbed by the noise and woodland destruction. We feel this is the start of continued and extended destruction of this site."
For full story see West Sussex Gazette May 14
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