Beaverbrook course development will continue after passing final legal hurdle
The long battle over planning permission for the Beaverbrook Golf Club development at Cherkley Court in Surrey, England, appears to be over.
The UK Supreme Court has refused an application by pressure group Cherkley Campaign to appeal against the decision handed down by the Court of Appeal in May. Court of Appeal judges overturned a previous judicial review decision by Mr Justice Haddon-Cave last year, in which he in turn overturned the local council’s decision to grant planning consent. Supreme Court justices declined to hear the appeal, on the grounds that it ‘does not raise an arguable point of law of general public importance’.
In addition, at the Court of Appeal, Lord Justice Aikens refused an application for a judicial review of the Landscape and Ecology Management Plan approved by Mole Valley District Council pursuant to the planning permission. This decision upholds the September judgement of the High Court that dismissed the claim on the basis of abuse of process and delay, as well as on its merits. The underlying planning application, the subject of both judicial review proceedings, was first approved by Mole Valley District Council’s Development Control committees in April and May 2012.
The golf course, which is being designed by David McLay Kidd in collaboration with Tom Watson, has been in construction over the summer, and sources close to the developers report that membership sales have been brisk. Joining fees for the Beaverbrook club are believed to be in excess of £100,000.
A spokesman for developer Longshot Cherkley Court said: “We very much hope that this marks the end of the road for those that have challenged us, and the beginning of our work to truly transform Cherkley Court and its beautiful estate. We would like to thank everyone who has supported us and for now we will get on with the job in hand.”