The leader of Portsmouth City Council has described a High Court decision to overrule the Government’s rejection of a £1.2bn cross-Channel power cable project as ‘a bad outcome’.
The planning application for the AQUIND Interconnector project was refused in January 2022 by the then secretary of state for business, energy and industrial strategy Kwasi Kwarteng.
The city council welcomed the decision, arguing that laying the required cables through the city is impractical and would cause significant disruption to residents.
However, AQUIND subsequently requested a judicial review of the case which has overruled the Government’s decision.
Mrs Justice Lieven reportedly ruled Mr Kwarteng ‘erred in law’ and failed to comply with his department's National Policy Statement on energy when reaching the decision.
Leader of Portsmouth City Council, Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson, said: ‘The High Court's ruling to overrule the former Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy decision to reject the Aquind Interconnector project is a bad outcome for Portsmouth. As a densely populated island city, the planned route is impractical. It will severely impact our residents' everyday lives and wellbeing.
‘Portsmouth's residents, private and public organisations and politicians from all parties have been let down. The Secretary of State has to reconsider his decision and we hope that this will be the same conclusion as before.'
