The High Court has held that the government has not carried out sufficient public consultation on its proposals to build new nuclear power stations, as promised in the 2003 Energy White Paper. The decision comes as a result of an action for judicial review brought by Greenpeace.

The government has announced that it will not be appealing against the decision and that a new round of public consultations on nuclear proposals will be carried out. It is not yet clear whether publication of the new Energy White Paper (which was expected to take place in late March) will be delayed as a result.