Despite unanimous local opposition, Aquind Limited has revealed that it has launched a legal challenge to the decision to deny it permission to land a cross channel electrical Interconnector cable and fibre optic communications network in Portsmouth.
This controversial move puts the environment of Portsmouth at risk from a 5-7 year long building project that would choke the city, and is likely to draw further attention to the Russian backgrounds of owners Alexander Temerko & Viktor Fedotov and the extensive financial support given to the Conservative Party by Aquind, it’s owners and directors.
Activists from grassroots community group Let’s Stop Aquind are calling on all interested parties – local MP’s Stephen Morgan and Penny Mordaunt and representatives from Portsmouth and Winchester City Councils – to coordinate a response to this disappointing development.
The decision by the Secretary of State for Business and Energy to deny the company permission to land the cables was widely welcomed throughout Portsmouth, and Let’s Stop Aquind is committed to defending the city’s environment and continue to highlight the dangers posed to our wildlife and green spaces, the unsuitability of Aquind to carry out a billion-pound engineering project and the threat to national security of a Russian funded infrastructure project in the home of the Royal Navy.
Group co-founder Viola Langley commented on the situation:
“We are outraged that the owners of Aquind have dared to launch a Judicial Review to try to reverse the decision by Kwasi Kwarteng. This project would do untold damage to the fabric of our city and its residents. We will endeavour to counter this effort by Aquind to cause so much harm and disruption for so little gain. There must be a better way especially at this critical time.”
Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan commented on the development:
“Aquind’s desperate decision to apply for a Judicial Review changes nothing. The facts remain that it would bring untold disruption to our city, but offers no clear local benefits.
At a time of widespread calls to clean up alleged dirty-money in Britain linked to Putin’s Russia, this application is not worth the paper it is written on. I am continuing to work alongside local campaigners and I will be monitoring Aquind’s challenge closely as it develops.
“Portsmouth is united in its opposition against Aquind. Government was right to finally arrive at the correct decision to not approve it. Whatever the outcome of this application, this remains the case.”
Download the full statement here.
You can view the article in The News HERE.
I have opposed Aquind from the start and am even more against it in the current climate. We do NOT want our city ruined.