Not surprisingly to residents, but still deeply disappointing, Esso have today announced further delays to the Balmoral Drive works, taking it to end of May 2023.

Esso have told me that this letter is being sent to residents.

One of the common questions asked is “Do Esso have to pay compensation/penalties for delays?” Esso are doing this work for themselves, so there is no-one contracting Esso who could put such conditions on the work. As far as the law is concerned, Esso are a utility company for this work.

The disturbance to residents is significant, and I wish there were a way to force Esso to make a greater contribution to the local community to reflect this additional disruption, over and above the environmental projects they have already agreed to, which have a nominal value of > £100,000 across Surrey Heath, see below and here:

 

The law is on Esso’s side, and the only way we will see a greater contribution from Esso will be through their goodwill.

 

Stuart Black, 20th March 2023