The High Court has agreed to follow up legal action filed last month by environmental group Friends of the Earth, Solarcentury and Homesun, over the recent slashing of solar Feed-in Tariffs.

The High Court heard applications on 15 December, which contested the Government’s decision to reduce the tariffs by over half after 12 December – two weeks before the consultation on the proposals ended.

“We strongly believe Government plans to abruptly slash solar subsidies are illegal,” says Friends of the Earth’s executive director Andy Atkins. “In a time of economic gloom, the solar industry has been one of the UK's brightest success stories… It’s short sighted for Ministers to move the goalposts and prematurely pull the subsidy.”