SSE lose Stansted expansion challenge
13.03.09
Campaign group Stop Stansted Expansion (SSE) are considering whether to appeal after losing their High Court battle to block the decision to expand Stansted Airport. The group was fighting a Government decision to allow an additional 10 million passengers a year to use the airport's current single runway.
The SSE accused the Government of unlawfully ‘steamrollering these plans every step of the way’. However, High Court judge Sir Thayne Forbes dismissed the legal challenge and said criticisms of the way the matter had been handled were ‘unjustified and without substance’. He ruled that that the Government's decision to approve permission was legal.
Following the decision, SSE campaign director Carol Barbone said: ‘This High Court action was never simply about winning or losing. Our primary concern was to ensure that our main battle against a second Stansted runway was not prejudiced by the wording of the original decision. However, today's ruling seems to make matters even less clear than they were before. That is why we are seeking leave to appeal.’
The judge refused permission to appeal, but it is still open to SSE lawyers to ask the court of appeal itself to hear their case. The group was ordered to pay the Government's legal costs from the High Court hearing up to an agreed limit of £20,000.
A Department for Transport spokesman said: ‘We welcome the court's dismissal of this appeal on all grounds and its recognition that we acted properly. Runway capacity in the South East is scarce so we believe it is right that best use is made of the existing runway at Stansted.’
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