Families win plea for cancer court challenge
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.(First Edition)
THREE children whose families fear their lives could be at risk from high voltage power cables being laid near their homes yesterday won permission to mount a High Court challenge to the installation.
Mr Justice Schiemann gave leave to seek judicial review after hearing they feared the cables could increase the risk of childhood leukaemia and other cancers in north-east London because of electromagnetic fields.
The families, who represent about 2,000 other families in South Woodford, Walthamstow and Chingford, which stand to be affected by the power lines, will argue that Michael Heseltine, President of the Board of Trade, failed in his legal duty to properly regulate the installation of the six 275,000-volt cables.
Graham Read, for the three families, argued that studies had shown a link between childhood leukaemias and other cancers at levels of electromagnetic radiation above 0.2 microtesla.
Figures provided by the National Grid to the families show that the cables, currently being laid and due to become live this summer, will generate electromagnetic fields at levels many times greater.
Outside court Martyn Day, the families' solicitor, said he believed the judge had been influenced by Mr Heseltine's failure to reply to the families' letters for two weeks. Mr Day said it showed Mr Heseltine's contempt for their arguments. 'We have studies that show a link between cancers and electromagnetic fields. But he is putting his money on the studies turning out not to be true.'
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments