Campaigners have lodged papers at the Court of Session in Edinburgh which may halt the construction of a new power station in Ayrshire, it has been reported.

Action group, Communities Opposed to New Coal at Hunterston (Conch), has appealed for a judicial review of the plans for the coal-fired power station at Hunterston.

They believe the Scottish Government did not carryout consultations on the power station, which was added to the National Planning Framework, in accordance with European law.

Clare Symonds of Planning Democracy, a voluntary group supporting Conch as part of its campaign to reform the planning process, told The Herald: "According to EU legislation, they didn't do their consultation correctly, and that has meant we can make a legal challenge.

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"What we're asking for is that the Hunterston power station is removed from the NPF, and if we're successful that will have a big impact, and it sets a precedent. They've omitted several things they should have done, so I think we stand a good chance of winning."

The Scottish Government's current energy strategy aims to remove energy dependency on nuclear power.

The British Energy's nuclear power plant located in Hunterston is scheduled to be shut down by 2016. If the plans go ahead the new coal-fired power station would be located next to it close to deep water port facilities allowing easy access to imported coal.

Environmental campaigners want Britain to be less dependent on polluting fossil fuels for electricity.

(GK/BMcC)