High Court

A judge has ordered a High Court hearing on the latest challenge against the UK Government’s proposed plans to tackle air pollution. Environmental lawyers ClientEarth said Justice Nicklin has expedited the case over “illegal and harmful” levels of air pollution and will be heard in the High Court before 23rd February 2018. It will be […]

The High Court has renewed injunctions prohibiting unlawful activities such as trespass or obstruction at INEOS Shale’s sites. In a three-day hearing earlier this month, INEOS provided evidence of direct action at shale sites, which the company said is “dangerous to workers, local people and the protestors themselves”, however shale gas activists challenged the injunctions. […]

The UK Government won the latest High Court battle over the nation’s air pollution crisis. Environmental lawyers ClientEarth had taken the government to court over its draft air quality proposals published in May, urging for a more ambitious plan. The proposals were widely condemned by green groups, with London Mayor Sadiq Khan calling them “toothless […]

The UK Government is to publish its draft air pollution plan within a week. It has decided not to appeal against the High Court’s rejection of a bid to delay publication of the plan until after the general election. The government was previously given until 24th April to set out the draft guidelines, however, Defra […]

The High Court has ordered a hearing into the government’s application to delay the publication of its clean air plan for the UK. The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) was ordered by the court to publish the plans by 4pm yesterday after its previous proposals to tackle air pollution were deemed inadequate. […]

Campaigners have lost a battle against fracking in Lancashire after a High Court ruling. Preston New Road Action Group had challenged Communities Secretary Sajid Javid’s decision to give the go-ahead for Cuadrilla to frack. It followed Lancashire County Council refusing the application in 2015, following which Cuadrilla launched an appeal. The government then overturned the […]

The government has been ordered to create an improved plan within eight months to tackle the UK’s air pollution crisis. The High Court has given the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) until 24th April 2017 to produce a draft plan and 31st July to deliver a final one. He rejected the government’s […]

The Government is facing legal action yet again from a host of solar energy companies for changing subsidies. Four firms – Solarcentury, Lark Energy, TGC Renewables and Orta Solar Farms – are challenging the decision to end the Renewables Obligation (RO) in nine months’ time, two years ahead of schedule. They believe the sudden withdrawal […]

The High Court says residents of Balcombe will be allowed to challenge the county council’s decision to grant planning permission to fracking company Cuadrilla, according to campaigners. The tiny village shot to fame last summer after weeks of fracking protests where MP Caroline Lucas was arrested. (A Brighton court ruled her not guilty of “wilful […]

Drax has won a legal case against the Government over subsidies for its power station units. The High Court ruled that one of its coal-to-biomass conversion projects was eligible for support under the Department of Energy and Climate Change’s (DECC) new renewable energy subsidy scheme. Drax decided to take legal action after DECC said only […]