Environmental Assessment 2

United Kingdom

The need for environmental assessment was relevant in the High Court's decision in March of this year in Berkeley v The Secretary of State for the Environment (1997) regarding the development of Fulham Football Ground next to the Thames. Although the court decided that no assessment was needed for the proposed development, the case arose partly because of a failure to even consider the need for one. It suggests that even if the planning authority decide that no assessment is called for it would be well advised to have been seen to have considered the point, particularly in marginal cases.