HS2 v Action Alliance—going off-track

Table of contents

• Original news
• What is the significance of this decision?
• What does this mean for the scope of costs protection under the Aarhus Convention?
• How will this decision affect future cases?
• What is the significance of this case in light of the upcoming changes to judicial review?
• What should lawyers take from this case?

Article summary

Environment analysis: As HS2 continues to throw-up new controversies, a recent case has highlighted the issue of local authorities having the costs of appeal limited to £10,000. David Brammer, partner and head of planning at SGH Martineau, explains how this has panned-out with the London Borough of Hillingdon—an instance that called into question the workings of the Aarhus Convention, and so too the issue of whether a local authority might constitute a concerned ‘member of the public’.