The Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) has filed its written submissions in a case that could help clarify how Government departments should consider environmental issues in policy making.
The OEP has been granted permission to intervene in the appeal in the case of R (Rights Community Action Ltd) v the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, which is going to be heard by the Court of Appeal in June 2025. The case is about the duty in the Environment Act 2021 to have due regard to the Environmental Principles Policy Statement (EPPS).
In intervening, the OEP is not seeking to make arguments on the particular facts of the case, which relate to the setting of housing energy efficiency standards by local authorities.
Rather, the OEP’s interest is in wishing to see the duty interpreted to support sound, environmentally aware policy making which supports delivery of the government’s ambitions for environmental protection and improvement.
The written submissions can be downloaded via the blue button to the right of this page. Our previous statement on this case can be found here.
