News and Events
Judicial Review - Application Refused and costs
Update 26 March, 2025 See A financial summary of the costs of the Judicial Review
Judicial Review Application Refused (Update 16 February, 2025)
We are extremely disappointed to let you know that our application for a judicial review of the decision on Planning Application K/46/23/PL will not proceed any further.
The Administrative Court have refused the application, as ‘totally without merit’ – this designation means the application will not progress to a hearing in the High Court. Both Council’s Barrister and Solicitor although they described the decision as harsh, have advised on balance, against appealing the decision, so Council will not be pursuing an Appeal.
We remain extremely grateful to those who have donated to our fundraiser. Your support enabled this Council to try our best to have the planning decision quashed. We could not have taken forward the application for Judicial Review without you, as the legal costs would have been just too high for us to meet.
We share so many of the sentiments that your comments when donating encapsulated:
- Concern for loss of agricultural land.
- We should not be building yet more houses on good fertile soil
- Keep the prime agricultural land to produce food and help reduce imports and CO2
- Proposals to develop one of the last areas of agricultural land between Goring Gap and the Arun. This area is already clogged with new housing on valuable agricultural land and dangerous arterial roads.
- Making a stand to try to save this precious farmland and help ensure the integrity of this locality. When all of the farmland and green spaces are covered in concrete where will we be as a nation
- This is a disgraceful misuse of agricultural land and will be a huge and dangerous addition to local houses and highways
- Save the remaining greenfield sites
- Save our green spaces.
- There needs to be land available for wildlife and this is a beautiful space.
- Help protect our countryside
- So important that we protect our environment
- The need for housing is great, however building over every green space is not the answer
- If the houses are built there will be the additional cars coming into and across the junction of North Lane, which is already incredibly busy.
- Supporting local democracy
See
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Progress so far - as at 5 December, 2024
Firstly, a big thank you to those of you who have already donated. We appreciate that donations have come from residents of both Kingston and East Preston and perhaps from others who live nearby.
Every donation really counts towards achieving our target.
The support we have received proves just how much the community cares about protecting this site that is an area of open countryside, within the gap between settlements, and is Grade 1 agricultural land. Plus, additional housing places additional pressure on local infrastructure such as roads, schools, healthcare etc.
Based on the initial response to the fund raising, Council asked our solicitor to proceed with the Application for Judicial Review and that was submitted on 8 November, 2024. If the Administrative Court permits the application, the judicial review will proceed to the High Court.
We are pleased to say that the combined amount raised through crowdfunder and direct donations so far is close to £10,000! Of course, there is still a long way to go as that still leaves a further £25,000 to raise!
So please do support us.
You can do this
1. By donating via crowdfunder:-
https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/seeking-a-review-to-quash-a-planning-decision
- If you prefer, please email the Clerk to arrange a direct bank transfer: clerk@kingston-wsx-pc.gov.uk
3. Whilst the above payments are preferred, cheques made out to Kingston Parish Council may be sent to the
Clerk at 33 The Ridings, East Preston BN16 2TW
We have extended the crowdfunder closing date until January to allow more time to meet our target to cover the cost of pursuing the application through the High Court. Any monies not spent will remain in the Kingston Parish Council Planning Matters Reserve Account to address future planning issues around development on agricultural land and/or in the Gap between Settlements.