We are delighted to announce that at an oral hearing in Cardiff yesterday 3rd October the judge gave ADVEARSE the go head for a full judicial review against Dorset Council’s approval for the Vearse Farm Bridport urban extension – the biggest ever development in an AONB. The judge agreed that the case is ‘arguable’ and gave his permission for it to proceed to a full hearing. It was deemed to be a significant case in planning law and the JR is therefore likely to take place early in the new year.
ADVEARSE raised funds for a judicial review against West Dorset District Council’s consent to allow 760 houses (plus industrial development and other mixed use – and up to 930 houses planned) to be built on Vearse Farm, in the Dorset AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty), just outside Bridport. The planning committee has completely ignored the overwhelming opposition of local people to the urban extension of Bridport's historic little market town.
Biggest development on AONB land
Vearse Farm is set to be the biggest development ever to be built on AONB land and, if it goes ahead, it will effectively destroy all AONB protection and make it OK for all our countryside to be concreted over. However, if the ADVEARSE judicial review is successful it will set a helpful legal precedent that can be applied all over the country. This is one of the reasons why Dorset CPRE is match funding the Judicial Review application up to a maximum of £10,000. Read our previous news item http://dorset-cpre.org.uk/news/current-news/item/2227-advearse-judicial-review for more details.
