Energy development can have significant impacts on the environment and on neighbours’ quality of life. We work with clients concerned about a wide range of energy-related projects, from new fossil fuel extraction like coal mines and shale gas wells to power plants, electricity substations, and more.

Energy-related projects can raise all sorts of concerns, from climate change and air quality concerns to impacts on the local landscape and heritage assets, to noise and other nuisance – even earthquakes. People come to us for help in opposing new planning applications for energy-related development or, if permission has been granted, in challenging this in Court. Where such development already exists, the impacts on neighbours may cause a nuisance and we can consider with you whether you may have legal remedies to prevent the nuisance or to seek compensation in some instances.

As in other aspects of our work, we do not oppose energy development, particularly renewables, on principle, but usually for failure of proponents in pursuit of profit properly to consider impacts and alternatives.

Our energy related work is wide-ranging, but some examples of the types of projects we have worked on include:

Fossil Fuels

  • Appearing for objecting parties at public inquiries into new coal mines in Whitehaven, Cumbria and Druridge Bay, Northumberland.
  • Preparing planning objections for groups opposing new and expanded coal mines in the Pont Valley, County Durham and at Dewley Hill, Newcastle.
  • Representing those challenging proposals for fracking and other onshore oil and gas development.
  • Challenging the UK Oil & Gas Authority’s decision to allow the sale of a fracking company to an offshore entity, potentially leaving UK taxpayers with significant clean-up liabilities.

Energy generation

  • Challenging a variety of “waste-to-energy” schemes from large, multi-unit waste incinerators, to smaller-scale anaerobic digesters and biomass boilers.
  • Representing clients challenging renewable energy developments such as wind and solar farms where poor siting or other problems give rise to significant impacts on heritage assets, protected landscapes like AONBs, residential neighbours or the wider environment.
  • Advising those suffering from neighbouring energy development and bringing nuisance cases against their operators.

Other energy-related development raising concerns

  • Battery storage facilities.
  • Land-based infrastructure for large offshore windfarm developments.
  • Consideration of impacts and suitability of large nuclear installations like Sizewell C.