West Cumbria Mining v. Cumbria County Council

On March 5, 2021, West Cumbria Mining filed an application for judicial review of Cumbria County Council's decision to reconsider a planning application for a new metallurgical coal mine in Whitehaven, Cumbria for the fourth time. According to a press release from the claimants, they argued that the council's decision misunderstood both the relevant facts and law. The referral had been made after a threat of legal action against the council by a local community group opposed to the project and the issuance of a report by the Committee on Climate Change - the UK's independent advisory body on climate change - on the UK's sixth carbon budget. On March 11, 2021, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities, and Local Government exercised his powers to "call-in" the planning application for determination at the national level. The hearing before the high court has been postponed as the Court has decided to first await the decision of the oil drilling in Surrey case.