Residents association in judicial review challenge over estate redevelopment

A residents’ association in Bath is to bring a judicial review challenge of Bath and North East Somerset Council’s decision to approve the redevelopment of their housing estate.

The council granted outline planning permission for the redevelopment of the Foxhill estate in July 2017. Up to 542 homes could be demolished, but the scheme would see the construction of 700 dewllings.

According to the Bath Chronicle, the Foxhill Residents’ Association (FRA) are being advised on the challenge by law firm Leigh Day and barristers Sarah Sackman and Katherine Barnes from Francis Taylor Building.

A pre-action protocol letter was sent to the council before Christmas. The local authority is understood to be defending the claim.

On its Facebook page, the FRA said it would be launching a crowd funding page “very soon”.

It added: “The money raised will be used to cover costs, and to contribute to the legal team's losses if we were unsuccessful . If we win then the money raised would go towards another case of our choosing, so keep your eyes peeled. This issue affects anyone who lives in one of Bath's Council estates, if Curo are successful here then other estates will be vulnerable to the same kind of overdevelopment.”