Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has acted for Halite Energy Group in the successful making of “The Preesall Underground Gas Storage Facility Order 2015”, which grants development consent for an underground gas storage facility in Preesall, Lancashire.

The Secretary of State for Energy & Climate Change made the order on 17 July 2015, stating in his decision that the facility would make a “nationally significant” contribution to ensure the UK’s security of gas supply.

The project included the following:

    * One of the first applications in the Government’s new Planning Act 2008 process for nationally significant infrastructure. The Planning Inspectorate recommended that development consent be granted but the Secretary of State refused to do so;
    * Judicial review of the Secretary of State’s decision under the Planning Act 2008 (which overturned the refusal);
    * The re-determination of the application for development consent by the Secretary of State following the judicial review.

Partner Tim Smith, Associate Director Paul Grace and Senior Associate Sheridan Treger of the BLP Planning & Environment team advised Halite.

BLP’s Planning & Environment team also advised Thames Water on promotion of “The Thames Water Utilities Limited” (Thames Tideway Tunnel) Order 2014, made in September last year. It has also advised National Grid Carbon on its application for development consent for a nationally significant carbon capture and storage system in East Yorkshire.