At the High Court in Belfast last October, we suffered a setback in our ongoing campaign to protect the public's right to a healthy environment, safe roads, accountable public representatives and a democratic planning system. In approving JC Campbell's major planning application in Rostrevor with no environmental impact assessment, transport assessment or community consultation, we, along with thousands of supporters, believed councillors on Newry, Mourne and Down District Council's Planning Committee had failed in their responsibility to uphold these hard-won rights. 

Unfortunately, following a discordant ruling by Justice McCloskey, our case was dismissed at the High Court. While our legal team have advised the Court erred in their ruling, we have decided not to pursue our challenge at the Court of Appeal. This was a difficult decision to reach but we believe it is the right one. It is our hope that the issue can be better resolved through negotiation and conversations between the parties involved and the community. 

Now, with local elections approaching in May, concluding legal proceedings gives our current councillors and those running for election the opportunity to freely express their views on what they consider to be the most important environmental issues in the area. We would like to invite current Newry, Mourne and Down District Council mayor Mark Murnin to lead by example and share his thoughts.

Finally, we would like to thank everyone who supported our Judicial Review campaign. RARE and community groups across the country are investing enormous amounts of time, energy and money in battling to protect our natural and cultural heritage while those paid and elected to do so are either asleep at the wheel or complicit in its exploitation. We have made mistakes on this journey but also learned some valuable lessons so if we can help others facing similar struggles, please send us a message or email and we will be happy to share our experiences �

The RARE team