An oil field in the British countryside. -Assessing pending Supreme Court verdict in a Surrey oil field case—Property Week

Assessing pending Supreme Court verdict in a Surrey oil field case—Property Week

Alexandra Ground, Partner in the Russell-Cooke Solicitors, real estate planning and construction team.
Alex Ground
1 min Read

Russell-Cooke planning expert is quoted in Property Week in an article exploring the possible impact of a pending Supreme Court verdict in the case of Finch vs Surrey County Council on the UK’s planning laws. 

The case concerns Horse Hill in Surrey, situated a few miles north of Gatwick Airport, and centres on the long-term impacts of new developments on the backdrop of the climate debate.

Currently, planning applications must include an environmental impact assessment (EIA), set to be replaced by environmental outcome reports (EORs) as outlined in the 2023 Levelling-up and Regeneration Act, which will address the limitations of the EIA process. 

Russell-Cooke comment on the implications this change could have for future planning policy:  

What is clear is that EORs will apply at the strategic level to assessments of relevant plans – for example, local plans, planning applications under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, and to Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project applications under the Planning Act 2008 – and will shift the focus of the reporting to an ‘outcome-based’ approach and consistency in reporting considerations across the planning spectrum.”
Russell-Cooke

The full article is available to read online via an online PDF from Property Week.

Our real estate planning team at Russell-Cooke are well equipped to navigate the complex landscape of real estate planning, ensuring that your projects are well-positioned for success.

Get in touch

If you would like to speak with a member of the team you can contact our real estate planning and construction solicitors; Holborn office (Email Holborn)  +44 (0)20 3826 7523; Kingston office (Email Kingston) +44 (0)20 3826 7518; Putney office (Email Putney) +44 (0)20 3826 7518 or complete our form.

In the press Real Estate, planning and construction Property law and conveyancing developer commercial development and construction environment law climate change EORs planning laws Planning applications Supreme Court emissions Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill