A date has been announced for a two-day judicial review hearing into a legal challenge by campaign groups to plans for the new Sizewell C nuclear power station.
The High Court will hear arguments against the £25bn project by groups, including Together Against Sizewell C (TASC) and Stop Sizewell C on Wednesday, March 22 and Thursday, March 23.
TASC deputy chair Pete Wilkinson said: "TASC are delighted that we now have the date for our judicial review hearing in the High Court.
“A two-day hearing has been set for Wednesday 22 and Thursday 23 March 2023 which will give our legal team the opportunity to present TASC's full legal arguments.
“TASC remain shocked that the Secretary of State went against the considered and reasoned view of the independent Planning Inspectorate and granted development consent in a potentially legally flawed manner.
“We have real concerns that the environmental impacts of Sizewell C have not been properly assessed and we have every confidence in our legal team to bring this to the court's attention.”
The campaigners had pledged to fight on after chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced in his budget autumn statement that the Government would continue to provide £700m towards the £25bn cost of the project.
A first-stage review of the legal appeal by the High Court initially recommended refusal, but the matter will now be determined by a formal judicial review hearing.
The review of July’s approval for the project had been sought on the grounds that the decision was unlawful amid concerns about the maintenance of a water supply to the new £20bn station and the resilience of the coastline.
Other concerns include the environmental impact of the new power plant and the threat posed to the site by coastal erosion.
Paul Collins, of Stop Sizewell C, said: "The right and proper conclusion to this legal challenge would be that the planning decision by former Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng is found to be unlawful.”
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