Judgement day looms for Bluestone

17th November 2004 

A High Court judge will next week hear legal arguments which will decide the future of the proposed Bluestone development in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.  The Council for National Parks (1) is undertaking an unprecedented (2) legal challenge of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority's decision (3) to grant outline planning permission for the Bluestone development (4) in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.

The High Court hearing will take place in Swansea (5) between 23rd and 25th November where a judge will hear arguments (6) from barristers representing CNP, the National Park Authority and the Bluestone developer.  However the judge is unlikely to issue his decision straight away and will do so at a later date, probably a few weeks after the hearing.

Ruth Chambers, CNP's Head of Policy, said: "CNP is very much looking forward to the opportunity to present our concerns about the Bluestone decision to a High Court judge.  We have taken the unprecedented step of going to court because of the scale of the Bluestone development.  It is completely inappropriate in a National Park and we believe that the National Park Authority has not adequately justified why it went against national and local policies.  We are also concerned about the role that members of Pembrokeshire County Council played in the National Park Authority's decision to grant outline planning permission.  We will be urging the judge to uphold our concerns and quash this planning permission for what would in effect be a new town (7) in beautiful, unspoilt countryside."

Notes to Editors

1.              The Council for National Parks is the national charity that works to protect and enhance the National Parks of England and Wales, and areas that merit National Park status, and promote understanding and quiet enjoyment of them for the benefit of all.

2.              CNP was founded in 1936 and has never before sought a judicial review of a National Park Authority's planning decision.  The fact that this is taking place on the Bluestone development is indicative of CNP's serious concerns about the damage that this development would cause to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and the precedent which would be set if the planning permission is not overturned.

3.              The Park Authority's development control committee approved the outline planning application on 28 January 2004.  Because the Bluestone application conflicts with the Authority's own policies, it was advertised as a departure.

4.              The development within the National Park comprises 340 timber lodges which would be imported from Estonia, a brand new village, a sports club and a sewage treatment works.

5.      The hearing will be held at The Swansea Civil Justice Centre (and not at the Crown Court as previously indicated).  The address is as follows:

Caravella House, Quay West, Quay Parade, Swansea, Wales, SA1 1SP

DX: 99740 Swansea 5

Court Manager: Miss M Edwards MBE   

Tel:  01792 510350 Fax: 01792 473520

6.              Copies of CNP's witness statements and legal skeleton are available electronically.

7.              The Bluestone development would constitute the third largest settlement in the National Park after Tenby and Saundersfoot.

Contact:

Ruth Chambers, Head of Policy: 020 7924 4077 ext. 222; 07769 676 397

Sylvia Davies, Senior Policy Officer, 02920 450433; 07779 718 244

For press queries please contact:
Ruth Chambers, Head of Policy on
020 7924 4077 ext. 222