Gabriel Carlyle in Hollington Valley.

Second legal challenge is mounted against Queensway Gateway Road go-ahead

Gabriel Carlyle, who is based in Hastings, is once again challenging the Queensway Gateway Road, the project of Sea Change Sussex – and once again, his challenge is on the grounds of air pollution. Air pollution – a hot issue at the moment. Zelly Restorick writes.

The planning permission for the Queensway Gateway road was revoked last year, when the air pollution challenge went to the High Court. In December I attended a meeting where it was approved again and now that decision is also being challenged.

The Combe Haven Defenders have sent out some words on the subject: “The application for a judicial review of Hastings Borough Council (HBC)’s decision to grant permission for the Sea Change Sussex road claims that issues of air pollution – which caused the planning permission granted last year to be revoked – have not been properly addressed. The application was considered for a second time in December after the traffic and air pollution figures had been revised, with the applicant claiming that the levels of air pollution were now within legal limits.

“The legal challenge claims however that HBC made a number of legal errors in granting planning permission for a second time, including that they did not explain to the planning committee that expected reductions in vehicle emissions had not materialised and that the new figures could therefore not be relied on.”

Air pollution

Here’s a report by the Royal College of Physicians about air pollution and the “dangerous impact [it] is having on our nation’s health” – our country is in trouble. London has already reached her air pollution targets. The air pollution monitoring bodies of the world are measuring and watching us – and we’re failing. We’re not reaching the standards set.

Client Earth, an environmental law firm which won a Supreme Court judgment on air pollution against the government last April, has sent a final warning letter to Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Elizabeth Truss: Take action on air pollution or we take legal action.

Value for money?

Does it seem strange to be building roads at a time when we are being told, categorically, we – the human race – is in trouble? Is it a peculiar use of funds? Might there be better ways to spend the money at this time?

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