Campaigners secure permission for legal challenge to 760-home scheme in area of outstanding natural beauty

Campaigners have been given the green light for a judicial review challenge over a council’s approval of what is reported to be the largest ever development in an area of outstanding natural beauty.

Permission to challenge the approval of the Vearse Farm Bridport urban extension by West Dorset District Council (now the Dorset Council unitary) was granted to the ADVEARSE group at an oral hearing in Cardiff Civil Justice Centre last week.

ADVEARSE said a full hearing was likely to take place early in the new year.

Permission for a judicial review challenge had been initially refused on the papers.

The proposed development involves the construction of 760 homes as well as space for employment uses.

On its crowd funding page, ADVEARSE has said, amongst other things, that West Dorset’s to permit the Vearse Farm development could be challenged through judicial review “because it contravenes many aspects of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) in that it has not stipulated any 'exceptional circumstances' or demonstrated any public benefit to justify the scheme”.