Campaigners fighting plans for a new Sizewell C nuclear power station have launched an appeal against a decision to refuse a judicial review.

Together Against Sizewell C (TASC) is arguing that the refusal by High Court judge Mr Justice Holgate was "wrong in law".

READ MORE: Suffolk campaigners vow to continue fighting Sizewell C

The grounds on which the appeal is being made are that TASC believes that the need for a permanent water supply for the nuclear power station should have been considered as part of the planning application that was approved by the government - and not separately.

The group has said a desalination plant is needed to guarantee a permanent water supply.

TASC has also questioned the judge's conclusion that the power station would contribute to electricity generation by 2035, arguing that the material to support this was "threadbare".

READ MORE: Suffolk peer's call for 'urgent action' on bypass on A12

In addition, the campaigners have said the site would not be clear of nuclear material by the predicted decommissioning date of 2140.

TASC chair Jenny Kirtley said: "It is imperative we appeal Judge Holgate's perverse sanctioning of Sizewell C even though the proposed nuclear plant does not have a guaranteed mains water supply, without which it cannot operate.

"We also appeal his ruling on EDF’s incomprehensible claim that the Sizewell C site will be fully decommissioned by 2140.

"This date has been flatly contradicted by the Office of Nuclear Regulation, who told TASC it will take 70 years after the plant stops generating for spent fuel to cool sufficiently, be moved offsite and the store decommissioned.

"The only way the 2140 deadline could be met at Sizewell C would be to slash its operating life by nearly 30 years, meaning generation stops in 2070, driving a coach and horses through this project's claimed commercial viability and contribution to meeting the UK’s climate change goals."

However, a Sizewell C spokesman said:  “We have a clear plan to supply water to the power station which was scrutinised in detail by the Government before it granted our Development Consent Order last year.

"Two previous attempts by TASC to apply for Judicial Review on this issue have been firmly dismissed by the High Court and we will robustly defend our position in any further legal action.

"We need to move to clean sources of energy like nuclear and renewables so that we reduce our dependence on gas, which still regularly provides more than 45% of the power for our electricity system.

"Sizewell C will save nine million tonnes of carbon dioxide each year and will play a key role in strengthening Britain’s energy security.

"Campaigners seeking to delay the project are endangering our efforts to fight climate change, lower energy bills and create thousands of jobs across Britain, including in East Suffolk.”