THERE WILL BE MUD

One area of the new South Downs National Park, near Chichester, has been classified as an Area of Outstanding Bounty, for councillors and oil prospectors at least, after black gold was found under the heritage site.

In 2009, West Sussex County Council granted permission to Northern Petroleum to test drill for oil in the ancient woodland at Markwells Wood, near Chichester (see SchNEWS 631).

The firm reckons it has uncovered a stash of between 35 and 61 million barrels of joy beneath the wood and has now decided to start bringing in heavy equipment and begin drilling.

The firm’s boss announced: “The commercial case for drilling Markwells Wood is compelling when the price level of oil is above $80 per barrel.” i.e. At $80 a pop that’s some haul with a street value in the billions. Yee-haw!

Although there were objections at the time of the original application - the Woodland Trust grumbling about the irreplaceable ancient woodland and Natural England calling for a dormouse survey – the whole thing has gone through with little local resistance.

With nearly another 100 licences dished out for oil and gas exploration UK during 2008, and energy prices only likely to rise, this land is likely to become much less green and more unpleasant by the year. SchNEWS hopes the impending prospect of nodding donkeys on the horizon will rouse a Sussex rabble yet to make the whole project go a little less smoothly...