The Chair of the Isle of Wight Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Steering Committee, Jonathan Bacon, has submitted representations in respect of the current oil drilling application for Arreton on behalf of the UNESCO Biosphere.
Many people have cited the Island’s Biosphere status as a reason to oppose the application for drilling in Arreton.
Specific management and leadership for the Biosphere has not been fully created yet due to the lockdown, however, as the AONB currently have day-to-day management of the Biosphere, Mr Bacon has stepped up to make representations.
Jonathan Bacon said:
“Clearly the proposals run counter to the Biosphere. Biosphere status was awarded due to the support and protection for environment in Island’s policies. The commitment to the Biosphere status has recently been reiterated by the Isle of Wight Council in the recently launched Visitor Charter and by the Council Leader in response to a question posed at the recent Full Council Meeting where he stated
“The Administration recognises the importance of the UNESCO Biosphere to the Isle of Wight. The Biosphere principles will continue to influence our plans and strategies as we move forward, and our commitment to such principles will come to the fore in our emerging Climate and Environment Strategy.
“My submission notes that the Island’s planning policies have been accepted by UNESCO as supporting the aims of the Biosphere. This application clearly runs counter to these aims as it proposes pollution, traffic chaos and environmental damage therefore it clearly contravenes current policy.
“It is also a key feature of the Biosphere that it recognises and promotes sustainability. The application further runs counter to the Biosphere by supporting processes and an energy source proposed that are the absolute antithesis of supporting a sustainable environment.”
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Time to stop all the speeches and time wasting from so and so and such and such just say NO DRILLING go away don’t come back
I support all of the points made by Jonathan Bacon and urge the Council to carefully consider his well constructed argument to oppose the oil drilling.
From the point of view of a retired businessman , the world is awash with cheap oil. So why bother to drill for more ??? It makes little business sense .
Vehicles are being designed and built to run on electricity or hydrogen and the demand for oil is decreasing.
The land would be better used for Solar PV electricity generation . Sustainable and cleaner .
The logic of drilling for more oil defies comprehension .
Where do you think the rubber comes from for electric car tyres? And plastics, and greases and lubricants? They are oil derived. That’s not to say I support this drilling however, but it’s important to be educated.
I am aware of the uses of oil. However plastic usage is destined to be reduced because of its threat to the oceans , and furthermore we now recycle plastic worldwide, reducing the reliance on oil to synthesise plastic from.
Oil as a fuel accounts for around 75% of oil use. A very large proportion of world production.
Plastics only use 4% of oil produced and a new process is available to use the natural gas derivative ethylene to make plastics. This coupled with recycling reinforces my argument.
I do have a degree in a branch of chemistry which includes organic chemistry
UKOG shares are the lowest they have been for years. Will be amazed if not gone bust before they ever arrive here.
It doesn’t appear to matter what the Council has put down in writing.
In the past it has turned down planning applications for various reasons, and then within months passed applications despite objections on the same grounds that they refused an application earlier.
I believe it is already a done deal for drilling to go ahead.
I do hope they prove me wrong.