Judicial review allows Welsh farmers to challenge

In a significant legal victory for farmers and landowners in Wales, over three hundred individuals have been granted the right to legally challenge the actions of Green GEN Cymru in the High Court. The collective, representing local community groups such as Justice for Wales and CPRW, has filed a judicial review on four separate grounds. These include allegations that the energy company acted unlawfully and disregarded biosecurity and environmental concerns while attempting to access private land for conducting surveys related to three major overhead pylon routes.

The proposed infrastructure would span approximately 200 kilometres across Powys, Ceredigion, Carmarthen, and Montgomeryshire in Wales, extending into Shropshire in the West Midlands of England. During a three-and-a-half-hour hearing held at Cardiff Civil Justice Centre, Mrs Justice Jefford granted permission for the judicial review on grounds including abuse of power and procedural impropriety. A two-day hearing is anticipated to take place in April 2026, with the exact date yet to be confirmed.

In an important development, the judge accepted an undertaking from Green GEN Cymru that it would not access land using s.172 powers, which are legal rights that allow acquiring authorities to conduct surveys or valuations under the Housing and Planning Act 2016, until an urgent interim relief application hearing can be arranged.

Natalie Barstow, founder of Justice for Wales, expressed her relief, stating, “This is a moment of vindication. For months, we have been left feeling unsafe in our own homes and stripped of our power as farmers and landowners.” She further emphasised, “This is not a protest against renewable energy; this is about standing up for what is right. Our right to dignity and to have a voice, and for the future of our land, wildlife, and livelihoods.”

Barstow added that since launching their legal battle, hundreds of other farmers and landowners across Wales have shared similar concerns, underscoring the issue's broader implications. “We said we will not be bullied into submission, and this judgment is just the first foot forward in our fight for justice,” she remarked.

Legal representation for the affected communities comes from New South Law, with lawyer Mary Smith explaining, “Holding acquiring authority status does not entitle a company to disregard the limits of its statutory powers or the rights of the people affected.” She further noted, “The Court’s decision confirms that Green GEN Cymru must be held to the same legal standards as any other public body when exercising intrusive powers over private land. This case is about restoring fairness, accountability, and respect for the communities whose livelihoods and environments are at stake.”