Judge names date for Dale Farm JR rulings

Mr Justice Ouseley will hand down his ruling in the Dale Farm judicial reviews at 2 pm next Wednesday (12 October), it has been confirmed.

The cases before the High Court judge relate to an examination of the proportionality of taking direct action on a housing matter under planning legislation, and two planning applications for Traveller sites at different locations in the borough. Proceedings finished on Tuesday.

Cllr Tony Ball, Leader of the Council, said: “I understand that the delay is concerning to all residents of the borough and particularly those in Crays Hill, but we recognise that this was always going to be a long and detailed judgment.”

Mr Justice Ouseley’s judgment is unlikely to be the end of the matter – Basildon has previously acknowledged that it expects the Travellers to appeal should the judge rule in the authority’s favour.

The council had planned to begin clearing the Dale Farm site in the week commencing 19 September, but lawyers for the Travellers successfully applied for an injunction while a number of cases were brought to stop the evictions.

Counsel for Basildon had previously warned another High Court judge, Mr Justice Edwards-Stuart, that delays would cost hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of pounds.

See also: Basildon can clear vast majority of plots at Dale Farm, says High Court judge