Campaigners fighting to keep green space in Southall out of the hands of QPR have won a major battle after the High Court granted a judicial review of Ealing Council’s decision to allow the football club to redevelop Warren Farm School Sports Centre.
They oppose the scheme to use green belt Metropolitan Open Land (MOL) for QPR’s new training and academy headquarters , which would remove public access to the majority of the site.
The judicial review will be heard in the new year.
The news was welcomed by campaigners and environmentalists.
During the hearing Mr Justice Ouseley agreed with Marc Willers QC, acting on behalf of Save Warren Farm campaigners, that it could be argued Ealing Council failed to take into account the other harms to the MOL when considering the "very special circumstances" necessary to justify the loss of open land for development.
Richard Buxton, instructing solicitor of environmental and public law specialists Richard Buxton, said: “We were delighted that Mr Justice Ouseley agreed there is a case to answer as Ealing Council arguably had failed to apply the correct test when considering the harms to Metropolitan Open Land at Warren Farm.
“This case is highly significant because we are increasingly seeing councils allowing encroachment on publicly held land to benefit commercial enterprise.”
The news was welcomed by Alice Roberts of Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), who said: “This is great news for the objectors who have pointed out these community sports fields are a public asset, 61 acres of green, open space in the midst of London’s suburbs, which should continue to be available for public benefit.”
The latest stage in the four year fight to save Warren Farm from development is being supported by a crowdfunding appeal launched earlier this month.
Save Warren Farm Campaign’s Malcolm Weller said: “We are so grateful to all those who are donating to save Warren Farm so the land can continue to be used for sporting activities by local people.
“We are relying on the continuing generosity of donors for the next big push to take our case to Judicial Review and protect our Metropolitan Open Land from this harmful and exclusive commercial development.”
Following a High Court decision, a QPR spokesperson said: "We remain committed to a new training ground at Warren Farm, including new community facilities to encourage sports participation and expand QPR in the Community Trust activity in the area.
"We are disappointed that a small group of opponents is using legal challenges to cause a delay, but we are absolutely committed to achieving the planning permission that is necessary for it to go ahead."
The Save Warren Farm Campaign currently comprises 1,670 people from Ealing and beyond who have campaigned, signed petitions and pledged money to fight to keep Warren Farm Sports Centre accessible, in its entirety, to all.
When the campaign for a judicial review was launched, Councillor Bassam Mahfouz, cabinet member for transport, environment and leisure at Ealing Council, said: “The current agreement with QPR is a once in a life time opportunity and an excellent deal for residents which will see the club invest millions of pounds into new facilities for the use of the whole community including sports facilities for residents and a comprehensive community sports development programme at no cost to tax payers.
"One of our priorities is to make Ealing a healthier place to live and this investment in Warren Farm will enable many of our residents to get active.
“It is disappointing that a judicial review has been made, particularly as one judge has already refused the application for one.
"If it goes ahead we will continue to fight for these fantastic new facilities for our residents.”
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