TASC are pleased to advise our many supporters that we are continuing the legal action to prevent the destruction of Coronation Wood and Pill Box Field as part of EDF's premature building works in preparation for a possible Sizewell C development.

After discussions with our legal team and being mindful of the strong feeling against this development ,especially in the local community, TASC has decided to support Joan Girling's application to the Court of Appeal for permission to appeal the High Court ruling on both grounds that were refused following the September hearing.

We have full support of our legal team but we do need to raise additional funds to meet the increased legal costs. TASC really appreciate the contributions towards our legal action to date. £20,000 has been raised through CrowdJustice which, together with funds raised directly mean we have sufficient to meet costs to date. However, we need to raise a further £15,000 to meet anticipated costs from the Court of Appeal action. TASC realise that we are all experiencing difficult times but ask those that can make a further contribution to do so to ensure we can pursue the full extent of the legal options available.

The following are quotes included in our recent press release:-

 Joan Girling said, ‘‘The Planning Inspectorate has now accepted EdF’s recently submitted Sizewell C DCO application. However, it remains our view that permission for Sizewell C is not a foregone conclusion. There is no certainty that it will be given approval. Until such time that the Sizewell C application is determined, it is the view of many people that the needless destruction of Coronation Wood should not go ahead. EdF have already started scoping for plans to change the development of the Sizewell B Relocation facilities and also announced that they will be consulting on major changes to the Sizewell C planning application just a couple of weeks after the local communities submitted their views on EdF’s original plans. TASC and I feel we must do all we can to prevent the destruction of the entire historic wood, its trees and valuable wildlife which will be lost as EdF cause yet more industrialisation of the Sizewell landscape and AONB.”

Chris Wilson, TASC Press Officer, said, “TASC is determined to ensure we leave no stone unturned in this legal process, in order to require that East Suffolk Council answer for their woeful disregard to the views of the local community when approving EdF’s premature plans to expand their nuclear complex further into Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB, destroying Coronation Wood and Pillbox Field in the process.”

The judgment of the Hon. Mr Justice Holgate, who heard the judicial review claim on 8th September, was handed down on 1st October in the High Court. TASC were disappointed to learn that the case has been dismissed, a decision which puts the future of Coronation Wood in grave and imminent danger of being felled. The wood, a much-loved local amenity which is appreciated by residents and tourists alike for its wildlife value and for acting as a visual and sound screen from the Sizewell nuclear complex.

Joan Girling, who brought the case, said “This decision is not the one that the many supporters of the case for retaining the wood wished to hear and it flies in the face of all consideration for the natural environment and the AONB. Particularly when there is no certainty that Sizewell C will be given consent or built. TASC and I will be considering our options regarding the court’s decision with our lawyers. We remain totally resolute in retaining our stance against EDF’s destructive plans for Sizewell and the wider Suffolk environment.”

A further update will be issued once the discussions with our lawyers have been concluded.

The judicial review took place in the High Court on 8th September. After a six-hour hearing, the judge reserved judgement which means that we will have to wait for a while longer to learn of his decision. TASC will advise the outcome as soon as we know.

TASC remain extremely grateful to our barristers David Woolf and Ashley Bowes and lawyers Leigh Day.

The legal case of Girling vs East Suffolk Council will be heard in the High Court on 8^th September 2020. The legal challenge, brought by TASC supporter Joan Girling, is a judicial review of the September 2019 decision by East Suffolk Council granting planning permission to the giant French energy company, EdF. The approved plan includes cutting down the 100-year-old Coronation Wood to create space for the Sizewell C nuclear development. 

 Permission has been granted for judicial review on two grounds of challenge. Firstly, that it is arguable there were deficiencies within the Environmental Impact Assessment relied upon by the Council in making their planning decision and, secondly, on the basis of evidence  required to show exceptional circumstances justifying the infliction of a major development on the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). TASC and Joan argue that there is a lack of such evidence in support of this development.

Joan Girling said ‘The Planning Inspectorate is in the pre-examination phase of reviewing EdF’s Sizewell C planning application, with the Secretary of State not expected to make a final decision until late 2021, therefore until that time Coronation Wood should not be felled. If EdF fell the entire historic wood prematurely, both the trees and its valuable wildlife will be lost needlessly and will cause yet more industrialisation of the Sizewell landscape and AONB.’

TASC is indebted to Joan for bringing this case as we believe East Suffolk council need to be brought to book for their woeful disregard to the lawful process required when approving EdF’s premature plans to expand their nuclear complex further into the AONB destroying Coronation Wood and Pillbox Field in the process. During the consultation process, TASC and many other respondents commented that the Sizewell B facilities EdF wish to relocate could be built in other places which do not involve further degradation of unspoilt AONB, claims that have never been accepted by EdF. TASC is therefore astounded to find that EdF are now seeking the public’s opinions on revised plans that would see some of the facilities built on the old Sizewell A brownfield site, although these revised plans still include the felling of Coronation Wood. TASC urges all those concerned about these revised plans to respond to EdF by the 24^th August deadline. Details can be accessed at:  https://rlfsizewellb.co.uk/

‘TASC will inform you of further details of the court arrangements when available, via our website https://tasizewellc.org.uk/ However, details of access to the court hearing are only expected a day or two before

TASC is very pleased to advise that the Court of Appeal have granted permission to challenge the approach taken to AONB policy in these preliminary works for Sizewell C nuclear power station. The Court has accepted our application to overturn the High Court's decision to refuse 'ground1b' in our Judicial Review case against East Suffolk Council's approval of EDF's plans to fell Coronation Wood and carry out other preparatory works for Sizewell C.

We are now waiting for the High Court to advise the date of the Judicial Review hearing which because of this recent judgement will  proceed with two lines of argument.

TASC would like to thank all who have supported our case to date including those who have donated, and are yet to donate, in order to keep the Suffolk Coast & Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty safe from the degradation that will result from the Sizewell B facilities relocation and the building of Sizewell C, and help maintain the rich mosaic of wildlife habitats that have taken millennia to evolve.

PLEASE SHARE THIS APPEAL ON YOUR WEBSITE, EMAILS, FACEBOOK PAGE, TWITTER ACCOUNT AND ANY OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA. LET EVERYONE KNOW WE ARE ALL FIGHTING TO PROTECT AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR LOCAL HERITAGE AND ITS FATE IS IN ALL OUR HANDS

The story so far

 In December 2019, TASC supporter Joan Girling, fully backed by TASC, applied to the High Court for a judicial review of East Suffolk’s council’s decision. The application was initially rejected by the court in March 2020, the response to which was an application for renewal of (appeal against) the decision, which led to a virtual High Court hearing on 3^rd June 2020. At this hearing, the judge refused our application on two of the grounds that TASC’s legal team argued but accepted that the third ground merited being argued at a full judicial review hearing which will happen at a date to be arranged. On 3^rd June the court decided that TASC’s costs cap under the Aarhus convention, in the event of losing the case, should be £10,000 rather than the £5,000 we thought should apply. After taking advice from our legal team, on 10^th June TASC lodged an application to the court of appeal for one of the two grounds refused at the 3^rd June hearing to be overturned.

What is the next step in the case?

We are waiting for both courts to advise when the Appeal Court review and the judicial review hearing in the High Court, will take place.

How much we are raising and why?

When our legal action started, we envisaged a costs cap of £5,000, rather than £10,000 decided by the High Court, and had not anticipated having the renewal hearing in the High Court nor the application to the Court of Appeal. The consequence is that we have increased our stretch target to £27,000. We know that’s a large amount of money, but anything you can spare, no matter how small, will be gratefully received.

We would like to thank all who have supported our case to date including those who have donated, and are yet to donate, in order to keep the Suffolk Coast & Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty safe from further degradation, from the Sizewell B facilities relocation and the building of Sizewell C, and help maintain the rich mosaic of wildlife habitats that have taken millennia to evolve.

PLEASE SHARE THIS APPEAL ON YOUR WEBSITE, EMAILS, FACEBOOK PAGE, TWITTER ACCOUNT AND ANY OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA. LET EVERYONE KNOW WE ARE ALL FIGHTING TO PROTECT AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR LOCAL HERITAGE AND ITS FATE IS IN ALL OUR HANDS