Council to defend judicial review challenge to adoption of Core Strategy

A council in Leicestershire has vowed to defend a developer's judicial review challenge over the examination process and adoption of its Core Strategy.

Charnwood Borough Council adopted the Core Strategy in November after consultations and an examination by a planning inspector.

The challenge is being brought by the Rosconn Group, which is seeking:

  • the quashing of the decision to adopt the Core Strategy;
  • a declaration that the council and the inspector erred in law by not examining the five-year land supply appropriately;
  • an order requiring the inspector to re-open the examination and allow submission and cross examination on five-year land supply;
  • an order requiring the inspector to reconsider and re-issue his report after hearing these issues.

Cllr Eric Vardy, Cabinet Member for Planning, said: “This is not an unexpected move and we will defend the Core Strategy.

“As this has moved into the legal arena, we will not be commenting further about this action.”

The Charnwood Core Strategy’s main areas of proposed development are:

  • around 3,000 homes and 16 ha of employment to the west of Loughborough;
  • around 4,500 homes and 13 ha of employment to the north of Hamilton/east of Thurmaston;
  • around 1,500 homes and 15 ha of employment on land to the north of the A46 at Birstall.

The Core Strategy also sets out how the council will support plans for the regeneration of the Watermead corridor within the Thurmaston and Syston area, support for further development of the Loughborough Science and Enterprise Park and a regeneration plan for Shepshed.