Groningen province was not wrong to allow work to continue on a controversial coal-fired power station even though the project does not have an environmental permit, the Council of State ruled on Wednesday.

Environmental groups had taken the province to court, arguing that it is wrong to let building work on the Eemshaven project continue without proper permits.
But the Council of State, the Netherlands’ highest court, said the nine-month delay before the environmental permits are granted would not have ‘significant’ consequences for the local habitat.
The Council of State itself tore up the environmental permits in August, saying not enough research had been done into the effects of the plant on the local flora and fauna.
This prompted the council to award a ‘blind eye permit’ to the project so work could continue until the problems had been sorted out.