Independent retail and café units with petrol station approved despite emissions concerns

The High Court upheld the decision to grant permission for the construction of a retail unit, drive-thru café, and petrol filling station, affirming the project's alignment with national climate ambitions and statutes. The court found that the environmental impact assessment (EIA) was valid, and the board had considered the cumulative impacts appropriately. The challenge to the 2024 Climate Action Plan (CAP24) was dismissed as abstract and academic, with no evidence presented to demonstrate that the board's decision was irrational or lacked adequate reasoning. The court also ruled that the applicant had a reasonable opportunity to make their case during the appeal process and that the board's decision-making was not invalidated by any alleged deficiencies in CAP24.