Updated: Barn Hall homes battle is lost (From Echo)

Updated: Barn Hall homes battle is lost

6:40pm Friday 20th February 2009 in

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THE stubborn two-year fight to save a Wickford beauty spot looks to have finally been lost.

Yesterday, London’s High Court ruled Basildon Council had no grounds to appeal against plans by developers Gleeson to build 200 homes at Barn Hall, off Station Avenue.

Campaigners and the council fear the decision will open the floodgates for up to 1,000 homes in the area.

The battle was first thought to be lost in October when Hazel Blears, Secretary of State for Commun-ities and Local Government, overturned a planning inspector’s recommendation to ditch the plans.

Campaigners’ hopes were reignited when Basildon Council mounted a High Court appeal in December.

Now yesterday’s decision seems to have driven the final nail into the campaign’s coffin.

Yet Basildon Council leader Malcolm Buckley said the council would be looking very closely at the verdict to see if there was any possibility of a further challenge.

He said: “Obviously, we’re very disappointed. We will be looking at the reasons behind it, to see whether it really is the end of the road.

“If this is the last stop, we will want to approach the developer and see if we can persuade it to change its plans to cause less damage to Wickford.”

During the two-year fight, campaign group the Wickford North Green Action Group collected 3,500 signatures opposing the plan.

Group founder, Peter Boynes, said: “This is a sad day for Wickford.

“Despite what the people, the council and the MP want, the Government is allowed to have its way.

“Barn Hall is the only stretch of the town which had some real true countryside and this could see the start of development across north west Wickford. It could soon be a new mini-town.”

Billericay MP John Baron said the decision was a huge blow to local democracy.

He said: “Politicians in London should not be allowed to ride roughshod over the wishes of local people.

“The system is stacked against our communities.”

Matt Richardson, a strategic land manager for Gleeson Homes, said: “We’re delighted with the decision made by the court.

“We’re considering our position and will issue a full response early next week.”