Council mounts High Court legal challenge over grant by inspectors of permission for increase in passenger numbers at Stansted Airport

The council refused permission for the increase in January 2020, a prior administration having granted it.

However last month, following a public inquiry, inspectors overturned that decision and made a full award of costs against the council.

Uttlesford said that “in light of the legal advice it has now received, the council, under a delegated officer decision, is asking the permission of the High Court to challenge the validity of the inspectors' decisions”.

An application is being prepared and will be submitted before the court deadline of 8 July.

Cllr John Lodge, Leader of Uttlesford District Council, said: "The reasons that the inspectors gave in their letters were not sufficiently clear to enable the residents of Uttlesford to understand why these particular decisions have been taken.

"We have accepted leading counsel's advice and are hopeful that the courts will grant a review of the panel's decisions. This is a two-stage process so we will need to wait to see what the outcome of our preliminary application is before deciding on our next steps."