High Court moves are under way to prevent Bolebroke Castle in East Sussex from being used for functions, weddings, banquets and charity events. Wealden District Council have issued a High Court claim seeking an injunction against the owner.
The council are seeking to ban Peter Hobcraft from holding commercial events at Bolebroke Castle, in Edenbridge Road, Heathfield, claiming that he has been using the castle for commercial purposes without planning consent.
According to the claim issued at Londons High Court and just made publicly available, in December 1995 Hobcraft was served with a notice under the Town and Country Planning Act requiring him to discontinue commercial use of the premises.
The claim says that Hobcraft’s subsequent appeal was rejected. The inspector also allegedly refused to grant planning permission on an application he was deemed to have made for change of use to mixed use as a dwelling-house and for commercial functions.
Hobcraft made a further appeal against the planning inspectors decision, this time to High Court Deputy Judge Gerald Moriarty QC, but, according to the claim, this appeal was also dismissed.
PLS News 25/1/02
