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> Similarly, in the U.K., any individual who sues to stop a new project on environmental grounds—say, to oppose a new road or airport—generally has their legal
by Jtsummers 2y ago
> Similarly, in the U.K., any individual who sues to stop a new project on environmental grounds—say, to oppose a new road or airport—generally has their legal damages capped at £5,000, if they lose in court. “Once you’ve done that,” Bowman said, “you’ve created a one-way system, where people have little incentive to not bring spurious cases to challenge any new development.”
Not directly stated about wind power, but there is this account of why lawsuits might be common, slowing and derailing projects because the damages if you lose in your complaint are capped at a relatively low figure (not low for the average person, but not that expensive either).
- robertlagrant 2y ago> not low for the average person, but not that expensive either I think this is very high for the average person.
- alibarber 2y agoI'd wager that for the sort of person who has the desire to care deeply about stopping windmills being built (perhaps feeling a need to 'conserve' the old way of doing things), instead of say, worrying about putting food on the table - this is pocket change.
- chgs 2y agoBut not for someone thinking their £2m house will “lose value” There are a lot of rich people in the U.K.
- FirmwareBurner 2y agoOf course, but I think a country can't survive long term if it's focused on raising the property prices of those with already expansive houses especially given the demographic slowdown/collapse. Or am I crazy?
- deleted 2y ago[deleted]
- chgs 2y agoOf course not. But that’s right change the nimby or indeed banana viewpoint
- robertlagrant 2y agoI don't understand this sort of response. The context is the average person. What do you mean in that context?
- pjc50 2y agoIt doesn't matter about the average person if it only takes one successful objection to stop a project.
- jordanwallwork 2y agoI think you misread it. The context was, _not low_ (ie. high) for the average person. For someone with a higher than average wealth however, £5k isn't all that much, especially if it could potentially protect the value of their assets
- robertlagrant 2y agoI was referring to the "not that expensive".
- jordanwallwork 2y agoMaybe I misread it then. I interpreted it as "not low for the average person, but not that expensive _for someone with greater than average wealth_"
- Jtsummers 2y agoYes, that's how I intended it.
- chgs 2y ago£5k is a lot for the average person on £40k a year. £5k for someone with £2m in assets and fears losing £200k due to the “blight” of a power plant is not a lot.