Environmental Law Centre: taking issues

Environmental Law Centre: Taking issues

A new law centre, the Environmental Law Centre Scotland, has been established as a not-for-profit law centre and a registered charity (SCO4000), to provide advice on all areas of law that affect the environment.

The centre will help community groups, individuals and the voluntary sector to protect the environment through understanding and utilising the law by providing advice, advocacy, training, updates and research.

It undertakes the following areas of work:

• legal advice on specific issues within environmental and planning law;
• training on environmental law, planning law and related areas; representation at hearings and in court on environmental and planning matters;
• help with submissions and written representations on environmental issues;
• advice on law reform and legislative proposals.
• Environmental law within the centre’s remit includes areas such as nature conservation,water and air pollution, cultural and built heritage, transport, and environmental impacts on human health.

Communities, individuals and the voluntary sector will be encouraged to use environmental law to protect the environment. The centre will also work for better recognition of the importance of positive public participation in decision making to achieve environmental protection; and to identify areas of deficiency in environmental law and assist clients in remedying such issues.

Legal work is carried out by Frances McCartney and Claudia Albrecht at the firm of McCartney & Co. Funding is discussed on a case-by-case basis, so long as the work is in the public interest.

Frances McCartney said: “Since we started the law centre earlier this year, we have been very busy working with a number of clients on issues ranging from climate change, to access to justice, to greenspace. The law centre’s work is directly contributing to environmental protection and increased civic participation in planning and environmental law.”

The centre has the support of various funders including Scotland Unltd and the Co-operative Community Dividend Fund. Individuals can become members at the cost of £15 per annum (£10 concession), and volunteer help is also welcome.

The Environmental Law Centre Scotland can be contacted at 65 George Street, Paisley PA1 2JY (t: 0844 335 6741; e: info@elcscotland.org.uk; www.elcscotland.org.uk). McCartney & Co are at the same address and contact number