The go-ahead has been given for a High Court planning challenge which, if successful, could curb the future development of luxury homes in the exclusive Wentworth area of Surrey.
In April last year Runnymede Borough Council issued an enforcement notice to Ascot Wood Ltd, ordering the company to demolish garages, a store room and swimming pool built without planning consent at Wentworth. However, the enforcement notice was challenged at a public enquiry, and the planning inspector ruled in favour of Ascot.
The council then sought leave to challenge the inspector’s decision on the basis that the plan would have a detrimental impact on the green belt. Michael Druce, counsel for Runnymede, told the court: “The time has come, the local planning authority believe, to say enough and no more”.
Now the council have been granted leave to challenge the inspector’s decision, and the hearing is expected to take place at the High Court this autumn.
The inspector who overruled the council said that even if the enforcement notice were upheld, Ascot would have rights under the General Permitted Development Order to construct garages, a store and free-standing swimming pool. He added that this would be immeasurably more harmful to the openness of the green belt than permitting the unauthorised works to remain.
Runnymede Borough Council v Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions and another Queen’s Bench Division (Deputy Judge Christopher Lockhart-Mummery) 9 August 2000.
PLS News 14/8/00
