Farming News - DEFRA: High Court judgment on Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan
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DEFRA: High Court judgment on Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan
On 15 September, the High Court has rejected claims that the government’s Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan is unlawful, following claims brought forward by the Marine Conservation Society and WildFish.
A Defra spokesperson said:
“We are pleased that the High Court has ruled in favour of the Government and its Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan. The Plan sets strict targets for water companies to address storm overflows, and the Court’s judgment highlights that the Plan goes further than existing legislation.
“Water companies need to clean up their act and ours is the only credible plan that will see them do so. The hard truth is that however much we all want to see this fixed immediately, the scale and complexity means there is no way that we can stop pollution overnight.
“The government is clear that the volume of sewage being discharged into our waters is utterly unacceptable, which is why we are driving forward more investment, stronger regulation and tougher enforcement.”
Further info
- Last Friday (15 September) the High Court has rejected claims that the government’s Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan is unlawful, following claims brought forward by the Marine Conservation Society and WildFish.
- The claimants argued that the Plan was unlawful on the basis that it breaches existing regulations. The judgment today has rejected both claims on all grounds.
- It confirms that the government has gone further than existing law by introducing targets to reduce the number of spills which exceed those required by law. These targets prioritise action in particularly important and sensitive areas, including around bathing waters, chalk streams and Special Areas of Conservation (SAC).
- The Plan complements the government’s long-term strategy to transform our water environment through the Plan for Water, driving forward more investment, stronger regulation and tougher enforcement.