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High Court judge Mr Justice Sullivan has given the Weston Front protest group a protected costs order and leave to take part in the Judicial Review proceedings brought by the Bard Group. Weston Front has therefore become an “interested party” in the High Court process now scheduled to take place at the end of January 2009.

In giving his decision Mr Justice Sullivan stated “Weston Front plainly has a sufficient interest in the proceedings to be joined as an interested party”...... “Particularly if its advocates are prepared to act pro bono”. Anthony Crean QC will be acting on behalf of the Weston Front, supported by Tim Sheppard, both giving their time for free.

Supporting the decision to grant a protected costs order the judge went on to say “The issues raised are of considerable public importance, and the court may well be assisted by evidence and submissions in respect of another Eco-town.”

In response Tony Henman of Weston Front stated “we are delighted to be given the chance to put our case in the High Court. In our opinion Weston Otmoor would never have been selected had the process not been so considerably flawed. Although the recent draft PPS statement has recognised how ill-conceived the Weston Otmoor plan is by giving it the lowest sustainability rating of all the sites being considered, it remains very much a realistic prospect and the developer will do everything in its power to force it through”.