West Cumbria Mining is NOT conceding defeat. It has confirmed that it will defend it’s planning permission, in the High Court from the 16th to 18th July. SLACC and FOE will , of course, continue as well. Lawyers for the Government will be present in Court to answer questions from the Judge, but will not defend the previous planning consent, approved in December 2022 by the previous Secretary of State.
Like the Government, SLACC is convinced that the Supreme Court’s recent judgment in the Finch v Surry County Council case makes the previous planning consent unlawful. Read this excellent legal briefing from Friends of the Earth.