Planning Permission ‘Unlawful’

The go-ahead for a barn conversion next to the runway of the Gliding Centre in Husbands Bosworth has been overturned by the High Court on safety grounds.

Harborough Council granted planning permission for the development off Sibbertoft Road earlier this year.

But a judge, considering a Judicial Review challenge from the Gliding Centre, has deemed that decision unlawful, after hearing evidence anyone living there would have to use a track crossing the runway to access it and there was a serious risk of collision from landing gliders.

Judge, Mrs Justice Swift, said the Council had failed to consider safety issues and also the impact that noise generated by the club would have on residents of the barn.

She also upheld the club’s arguments that a notice advertising the planning application had not been placed where it should have been.

It was displayed on the other side of the road from the club’s entrance, 900 metres away from the barn, the court in London heard.

The club’s chairman, John Inglis, said he hadn’t seen it and that he only learned of the application after it was granted.

A further hearing will be held to determine what orders will be made in the light of the ruling.

A Harborough District Council spokesman said: “The Council is reviewing the Judgement of the Court and because proceedings are still ongoing and subject to further Judgement no further comment can be made at this time.”