Judicial review threatened over Waterbeach New Town East homes decision
A campaign group will mount a legal challenge if South Cambridgeshire District Council does not address its concerns over plans for the 4,500-home Waterbeach New Town East.
Fews Lane Consortium has written to the council asking for its planning committee to reconsider the decision to grant outline planning permission.
It argues that the council failed to publish relevant background papers and the officer’s report misdirected the committee.
The group says it has written to the council and will challenge the decision by way of a judicial review if the authority does not reconsider.
In a social media post the consortium says it will do so on the following grounds: “The officer’s report misdirected the committee by asserting that it was possible to attach a positive planning condition (number 23) requiring access to the A10 to be taken across land outside the application site and not controlled by the applicant. The plan for access to the A10 approved in condition number 23 was not included in the public consultation documents and was not made available to the committee prior to the committee’s decision.
“The council failed to publish the relevant background papers, including consultation responses referred to in the officer’s report, five clear days in advance of the meeting as required under sections 100B, 100D, and 100E of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).”
The application from RLW Estates was approved the council's planning committee on January 29.
The vote delegated authority to the council’s director of planning to grant outline planning permission subject to agreeing conditions and community contributions to be made by the developer, which could amount to £250million.
The council says it has sought external legal advice and disagrees with the statements made by the campaign group.
South Cambridgeshire District Council’s lead cabinet member for planning, Cllr Dr Tumi Hawkins, said: “We are aware of a representation from the Fews Lane Consortium.
“The council and its legal adviser do not agree with the view of the Fews Lane Consortium and has at this time no plans to reconsider the decision made by the planning committee at the end of January.”
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