Catriona Riddell FRTPI, Director of Catriona Riddell and Associates Ltd (S8 E7)

Have We Got Planning News For You

Our Special Guest this week is Catriona Riddell FRPTI, Director of Catriona Riddell & Associates Ltd, Strategic Planning Specialist to POS, Vice-Chair of TCPA & member of RTPI England Policy Panel.

Decisions of the Week:

• Decision of the Court of Appeal in Tidal Lagoon (Swansea Bay) PLC v Secretary of State for BE&IS & Welsh Ministers & Swansea Council [2022] EWCA Civ 1579 dated 1st December 2022 dismissing an appeal against the failure of the court below to grant declarations that a DCO granted in 2015 had been lawfully commenced. Issues around the requirements stipulated in the DCO and sections 154 & 155 of the Planning Act 2008.
  
• Decision of the Secretary of State for Housing & Planning dated 5th December 2022 allowing an appeal by JBM Solar Projects 2 Ltd against the refusal by Mid Devon Council of an application for planning permission for the construction of ground-mounted solar PV panels to generate up to 49.9 MW on a 60.78hs site. Landscape effects, impacts on DHA, loss of BMV agricultural land, safety of a battery storage facility, BNG, & benefits all considered in context of development plan and NPPF. Inspector recommendation that permission be granted.
  
• Decision of the Secretary of State dated 7 December 2022 allowing an application made in 2017 by West Cumbria Mining Ltd following a referral under section 77 of the TCPA in March 2021 and a subsequent public inquiry in 2021 for a new underground coal mine, the refurbishment of two mine drifts leading to two new drifts, coal loading facilities & railway siding, new underground conveyor & associated development at Whitehaven in accordance with the inspector’s recommendation.
  
• Decision of the Secretary of State for BE&IS dated 7 December 2022 for the Keadby 3 (Carbon Capture Gas Fired Generating Station) Order for the construction, operation and maintenance of a new electricity generating station for up to 901 MW of gross electrical output under the Planning Act 2008, in accordance with the examining authority’s recommendation, on land within & adjoining the existing Keadby Power Station site, west of the village of Keadby and 7 km west of Scunthorpe.

The views expressed by our guests are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of the panellists.