Aquind in Portsmouth: 'We fight again' say opponents of damaging electricity cable scheme

Ruling on the judicial review, Mrs Justice Lievin said Mr Kwarteng had failed to properly assess the evidence in a report which had recommended he approve the scheme.

The decision has been welcomed by Aquind representatives who said they would now look at 're-engaging with local residents, stakeholders, environmental experts, and energy professionals'.

But it has been met with dismay and renewed vows to carry on the fight by political figures and opponents of the scheme who have warned that the cross-Channel cable, which would be landed at Eastney and be laid through Portsmouth and the south Hampshire countryside to Lovedean, will cause years of disruption and environmental damage.

A coalition of opposition in Portsmouth – including the Lib Dem council, Portsmouth South Labour MP Stephen Morgan, Portsmouth North Conservative MP Penny Mordaunt, community group Stop Aquind and The News – fought fiercely against the plan.

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Concerns have also been raised the project risks national security, and questions have been raised over impartiality after donations were made by Aquind directors to Conservative MPs, although no wrongdoing has been alleged.

Paula Savage, the co-leader of the Stop Aquind campaign group said the company was 'not an appropriate' choice for energy infrastructure projects.

'While the campaign group are very disappointed, we will do everything we can to campaign against it here in Portsmouth,' she said. 'We will continue to raise awareness of the dangers to the environment and our national security.'

Fellow group member Viola Langley added: 'We will continue the fight; we won't give up. From that perspective the decision changes nothing.'

The group was due to meet on Tuesday night (January 24) to discuss its next steps in the wake of the ruling.

Aquind said the interconnector would be the largest linking to the UK and would help capacity problems in the south east, delivering up to five per cent of electricity demand.

Director Richard Glasspool said the decision to reconsider the project was 'welcome'.

'This is wonderful news for the Aquind interconnector project,' he said. 'We were dismayed and disappointed when Kwasi Kwarteng refused the development consent order.'

But local councillors and MPs remain overwhelmingly opposed. Portsmouth North MP Penny Mordaunt, who has long opposed the scheme, said she was 'confident' it would never happen, despite Tuesday's ruling.

'It is hard to imagine why any investor would want to be associated with it,' she said. 'I believe the government's decision was the right one and I stand by it. I also know the whole community will again make the case for why this is so damaging, not just to our local area but to the whole of the UK.'

Ms Mordaunt found herself the target of business tycoon Alexander Temerko, one of the main players in Aquind, who labelled her 'absolutely uncontrollable' after Mr Kwarteng turned down the plan in January last year, and also called her a ‘real threat to national security’. Ms Mordaunt retorted that if standing up for Portsmouth made her uncontrollable she was 'guilty as charged'.

And the Labour MP for Portsmouth South, Stephen Morgan, said he would also continue to oppose the project, describing the decision as 'a bitter blow to Portsmouth people'.

'Aquind’s desperate attempt to re-run the argument through the High Court doesn’t change the facts, and it shouldn’t change the outcome,' he said. 'I’ve been clear from the outset that this project would bring untold disruption to our daily lives and natural environment, with no clear benefits. Meanwhile, the company directors’ cosy relationships with government ministers continue to raise suspicions.'

Aquind Limited, which is part-owned by former oil tycoon Viktor Fedotov, has donated at least £430,000 to the Tory Party and MPs, and Alexander Temerko, who is listed as a director of the company, has given more than £730,000.

Councillor Gerald Vernon-Jackson, the leader of Portsmouth City Council said he hoped the new business secretary - Grant Shapps - would reach the decision as Mr Kwarteng.

'It is difficult for the minister to come to a different conclusion given the appalling attack Aquind made on a fellow cabinet minister; the attack on Penny Mordaunt was very vicious,' he said. 'Aquind may feel that the amount of money they have donated to the Conservative Party means they are entitled to planning permission.'

The council's Conservative group leader Cllr Simon Bosher, said an alternative route needed to be chosen for the cable.

'I'm bitterly disappointed in the High Court ruling because I thought it was a robust case,' he said. 'I don't know what Aquind are playing at. They should know that the interconnector is not wanted and not needed. The disruption to one of the most densely populated cities in northern Europe cannot be allowed.'

Councillor Charlotte Gerada, Labour group acting leader, echoed his comments but said she was confident the city's opposition would prevail.

She said: 'It's incredibly disappointing that the High Court has decided to overturn the former business secretary’s decision to reject the Aquind interconnector proposals for Portsmouth. This now exposes our city to the damage and destruction of Aquind's plans once more. However, we have enormous strength as a community and together we will stop Aquind for good.'

Portsmouth Independents leader councillor George Madgwick said the decision was 'disappointing but unsurprising,' describing the case made by the department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy as 'flawed'

'As a council, we will now need to spend more money and a lot more of our officers' very valuable time to work on a new plan of action to stop Aquind going ahead,' he said. 'We will work tirelessly to do our utmost to stop this project going ahead.'

A government spokesperson said: 'The UK government is disappointed by the outcome but we will be considering the judgment carefully before deciding next steps.'