Are you concerned about development by others?

Objectors need to know all the arguments which can be marshalled against a particular proposal, and the hoops the projectors will need to jump in order to get all the necessary approvals. Comprehensive planning and environmental law advice enables objectors to focus their efforts on areas which are valid objections, and to appreciate the channels and the timing for appropriate intervention.

Parkinson Wright can draft and where appropriate make objections on behalf of clients whose interests are affected. If decisions are make that are challengeable, we can advise how challenges can be made, and can take those challenges to UK courts, to the European Court of Human Rights, to the European Commission, or to ombudsmen.

The European Directive 90/313/EEC on access to environmental information opened a new chapter in environmental law, because it gave a right to get environmental information from state authorities, including privatised utilities. Subject to limited exceptions, any client with a perceived environmental concern can apply to the state bodies for current or historic environmental information in any form, and get it at modest cost under these regulations (or in some instances under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 or the Water Resources Act 1991 where these statutes provide wider or cheaper rights than the EIR regulations.

While local authorities not infrequently try to refuse access to environmental information without justification or going through the procedures required by the current Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (and occasionally bodies like the Environment Agency and Natural England which should know better fall into the same temptation), generally a well-informed member of the public can obtain plenty of information about any environmental issue to enable further action to be taken, or spur authorities into action – and without disclosing the reasons why the request is made.

Parkinson Wright can obtain environmental information for clients (and does not have to name them to do so), or guide clients in obtaining it themselves. Ignorance is no longer an excuse.