JUDICIAL REVIEW - Details
Weston Otmoor - "a ghastly shadow hanging over our
lives" (Anthony Crean, QC)
The Judicial Review finished on Tuesday (27th Jan) with the judge finding against BARD & Weston Front. He considered the consultation process at the preliminary stage of the eco-town selection process was adequate. See Weston Front Press Release.
The first day saw the BARD counsel going into great detail as to how the government did not conduct an adequate consultation process in choosing the shortlist of eco-towns last April. The Weston Front QC Anthony Crean presented our case on Friday - on the first day he said he was representing people who had the eco-town's "ghastly shadow hanging over their lives" and wanted the matter dealt with as quickly as possible. Monday saw the DCLG putting their case. Summing up was on Tuesday, 27th before the judge gave his oral judgement later the same day. The DCLG claimed costs of over £400,000 and these were awarded against BARD. A claim against Weston-Front was refused.
For those who were present in court it was obvious that the decision was borderline - the QCs on all sides thought that the proceedings would go against the Government. Henry Cleary who was present in court for all of the proceedings looked distinctly worried. The fact that costs were not awarded against Weston Front suggest this was not an open and shut case.
See joint Press Release from Cherwell and OCC
See Witness Statement as deposited by Weston Front