‘No Go’ For Offshore Wind Farm DCO – Simon Randle and Vivienne Sedgley – 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square

Posted February 25th, 2021 in energy, environmental protection, news, offshore installations, planning by sally

‘A local resident has successfully challenged the Secretary of State’s development consent order (“DCO”) for one of the world’s largest offshore wind projects on the grounds that the cumulative landscape and visual impacts of both this Vanguard project and its “sister” Boreas project (for which a DCO decision is expected in April 2021) were not take into account.’

Full Story

4-5 Gray's Inn Square, 22nd February 2021

Source: www.4-5.co.uk

Environmental Law News Update – Six Pump Court

‘In this latest Environmental Law News Update, Charles Morgan, Noémi Byrd and Mark Davies consider a recent case involving the application of Energy National Policy Statements to nationally significant infrastructure projects, developments on legislation to curb sewage overflows and further delays for the Environment Bill.’

Full Story

Six Pump Court, 5th February 2021

Source: www.6pumpcourt.co.uk

Justice delayed might be justice denied… but for which side? A look at Nigeria v Process & Industrial Developments – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted November 11th, 2020 in arbitration, chambers articles, civil justice, delay, energy, fraud, news, time limits by sally

‘Last month, Sir Ross Cranston handed down judgment in The Federal Republic of Nigeria v Process & Industrial Developments [2020] EWHC 2379 (Comm), marking the latest stage in what has proved a notoriously long-running dispute since arbitration between the parties was first commenced in 2012.’

Full Story

Hardwicke Chambers, 14th October 2020

Source: hardwicke.co.uk

Legalise e-scooters in UK as alternative to short car trips, MPs say – The Guardian

‘MPs have called on the government to legalise e-scooters in the UK and advertise them to car drivers as a greener alternative for short journeys.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 2nd October 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Campaigners start legal challenge to UK’s $1bn grant to Mozambique gas project – The Guardian

‘Environmentalists at Friends of the Earth will mount a legal challenge against the government’s decision to offer $1bn in financial support to a major fossil fuel project in Mozambique that they say is “incompatible” with the Paris climate agreement.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 7th September 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Ofgem takes action on ‘unscrupulous’ UK energy brokers – The Guardian

Posted July 29th, 2020 in care homes, charities, consumer protection, energy, news, ombudsmen by tracey

‘Regulators’ plans aim to stop energy brokers overcharging small businesses and local bodies including care homes.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 29th July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

The Client Earth/Drax Case – No. 5 Chambers

‘This case is a High Court challenge by statutory judicial review to the Secretary of State’s decision to grant a development consent order for the construction and operation of two gas-fired generating units at an existing coal-fired power station site in Yorkshire. The decision was contrary to the recommendation of her examining Panel. The challenge was unsuccessful largely because the Panel itself had made an error which the Secretary of State declined to follow. The Panel had misinterpreted national policy on the assessment of “need” for the development and the Secretary of State had been entitled to conclude that that need outweighed the substantial adverse environmental impacts of the proposed development.’

Full Story

No. 5 Chambers, 30th June 2020

Source: www.no5.com

Shell faces UK supreme court case over Niger delta pollution – The Guardian

‘The fossil fuel company Shell must be held accountable for significant and systematic pollution caused by oil extraction in the Niger delta, lawyers will argue in the supreme court.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 23rd June 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Energy customers face bailiffs as Ofgem allows debt collecting again – The Guardian

Posted June 23rd, 2020 in coronavirus, debts, energy, news, regulations by sally

‘Gas and electricity customers face the prospect of debt collectors chasing up unpaid bills after the energy industry regulator told suppliers they no longer had to offer unlimited coronavirus payment holidays.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 22nd June 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Campaigners get green light for legal challenge over felling of wood near planned nuclear power station – Local Government Lawyer

‘A group that campaigns against the proposed Sizewell C nuclear power station has won permission to take East Suffolk Council to judicial review in a dispute over felling a wood.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 4th June 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

High Court Dismisses Claim in Drax Challenge – Francis Taylor Building

‘Mr Justice Holgate has given judgment in ClientEarth’s judicial review of the Secretary of State’s decision to make a development consent order for the construction of two gas-fired units, and related development, at Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire (R (ClientEarth) v SSBEIS [2020] EWHC 1303 (Admin)).’

Full Story

Francis Taylor Building, 22nd May 2020

Source: www.ftbchambers.co.uk

Legal case launched over UK’s ‘outdated’ energy policies – The Guardian

Posted May 19th, 2020 in climate change, energy, judicial review, news by sally

‘The government faces a legal challenge over a set of “outdated” energy policies which are being used to approve fossil fuel projects even after it vowed to end Britain’s contribution to the climate crisis.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 18th May 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Application to end draconian UKOG injunction banning peaceful protest at oil sites in Surrey and Sussex – Garden Court Chambers

‘Lawyers for five peaceful protestors, supported by the Weald Action Group, have applied to the High Court to bring an end to an interim injunction against protest at oil sites in Surrey and Sussex in line with a new Court of Appeal ruling.’

Full Story

Garden Court Chambers, 1st April 2020

Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk

The Use (and Abuse) of Section 73 – Exchange Chambers

Posted February 14th, 2020 in appeals, chambers articles, energy, jurisdiction, local government, news, planning by sally

‘The procedure in Section 73 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 permits a developer to apply for planning permission to carry out development already authorised by an extant planning permission without complying with one or more of the conditions of that permission.’

Full Story

Exchange Chambers, 12th February 2020

Source: www.exchangechambers.co.uk

Planning consent and community benefits – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Wind turbines can evoke strong feelings. To some they are vital and eye-catching sources of renewable energy. To others they are simply bird- and insect-destroying eyesores. But in granting planning consent, can a local authority have regard to a proposed annual donation to a local community fund? Would this be a material planning consideration? No, said the Supreme Court on 20 November in R (Wright) v Resilient Energy Severndale Ltd and Forest of Dean District Council [2019] UKSC 53. Lord Sales gave the judgment with which Lady Hale, Lord Reed, Lord Lloyd-Jones and Lord Thomas agreed.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 3rd January 2020

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

UK sued for approving Europe’s biggest gas power station – The Guardian

Posted January 30th, 2020 in climate change, energy, environmental protection, judicial review, news, planning by tracey

‘The UK government is being sued for approving a large new gas-fired power plant, overruling the climate change objections of its own planning authority.
The plant, being developed by Drax in north Yorkshire, would become the biggest gas power station in Europe and could produce 75% of the UK’s power sector emissions when fully operational, according to the environmental lawyers ClientEarth, who have brought the judicial review.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 30th January 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Cabinet Office ignores court order to release secret fracking report – The Guardian

‘The Cabinet Office has defied a court order to release a secret government report on the UK’s fracking industry. Officials were expected to hand over the report on Monday, days before Britain’s first general election leaders’ debate on the climate crisis, after the information tribunal ruled it was in the public interest to disclose its findings in full.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 28th November 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Supreme Court to rule next week on community benefit fund donations and material considerations for granting planning permissions – Local Government Lawyer

Posted November 18th, 2019 in appeals, energy, local government, news, planning, Supreme Court by sally

‘The Supreme Court will next week (20 November) hand down an imporrtant ruling on whether a council was entitled to take into account as a material consideration, when granting planning permission, the offer of a community benefit fund donation.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 15th November 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Fracking: How The Police Response Is Threatening The Right To Protest – Rights Info

‘The UK government has announced an immediate moratorium on fracking. The decision came after new scientific analysis concluded it was not possible to “rule out future unacceptable impacts”.’

Full Story

Rights Info, 11th November 2019

Source: rightsinfo.org

Environmental Law News Update – Six Pump Court

Posted November 7th, 2019 in bills, climate change, energy, environmental protection, fraud, news by sally

‘In this latest Environmental Law News Update, William Upton QC and Mark Davies consider developments regarding the Environment Bill, leadership in the climate crisis and a case against Exxon Mobil in the US for improper forecasting of the cost of climate regulation to its business.’

Full Story

Six Pump Court, 6th November 2019

Source: www.6pumpcourt.co.uk