Campaigners have lost a High Court challenge to the Government’s plans to build several eco towns.
Members of the Better Accessible Responsible Development (Bard) campaign applied last week for a judicial review of the scheme, arguing it was legally flawed. Bard opposes 6,000 new homes being built at Middle Qunton near Long Marston on the Worcestershire-Warwickshire borders.
It was backed in court by the Weston Front Protest Group, which opposes plans for 15,000 new homes at the Weston Otmoor site, near Bicester in Oxfordshire.
A third pressure group, CASCET, which is against plans for the Pennbury eco town in Leicestershire, put forward formal submissions to the High Court in support of Bard’s application.
The groups wanted the court to stop the project until there had been a ‘proper and full consultation process.’ Mr Justice Walker rejected their complaint and added that the project was ‘at a relatively early stage’. He also said there would be future opportunities for consultation. David Bliss, chairman of the Bard campaign, said after the ruling: ‘We are disappointed, but this is by no means the end of the road for Bard’s challenges to the Middle Quinton proposal. No less than 47 national, regional and local representative bodies agree that poorly-sited new towns will neither meet their promised eco-agenda, nor provide affordable housing in places where people want to live.’
But Gideon Amos, chief executive of the Town and County Planning Association, said: ‘The TCPA is delighted the issues people have raised on planning matters have now been thoroughly examined by the High Court, which has given the all-clear. This allows the programme to proceed.’ The judge refused the campaigners permission to appeal, but they can apply directly to the Court of Appeal for permission.
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