BASINGSTOKE and Deane Council have said they will not be taking legal action, following permission being granted for 85 dwellings and a care home to be built on the Camrose football stadium site.

Last week permission was granted after a government inspector approved the developer's appeals.

Basingstoke Town Football Club, which occupied the site before it was thrown out by its former owner Rafi Razzak and his company Basron, had been fighting for the borough council’s development control committee refusal decision to be upheld, but the inspector has sided with the developer.

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Tom Payne, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s interim executive director of residents’ services, said: “The Planning Inspectorate has allowed two appeals for the redevelopment of the Camrose Stadium, following a public inquiry.

“We review all appeal decisions issued by the Planning Inspectorate. A legal challenge can only be progressed by the council on the basis that the decision contains an error of law or failed to follow the procedural requirements for a fair decision. Our teams have reviewed the decision made by the Planning Inspectorate and there are no grounds for the council to take forward a legal challenge.

“Following this decision, we will await the submission of a reserved matters planning application which sets out further details for the redevelopment of the site such as appearance of the buildings.

“We will continue to work with the applicant to ensure the planning conditions, including upgrades to Winklebury Football Complex as mitigation for the loss of the Camrose site, are met as set out in the Planning Inspectorate’s decision.”

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The news comes after protester David Graham said taking the decision to the High Court could be the ground's last chance to survive.

He said: “I am certainly surprised and the only possible saving grace as I understand it is that Basingstoke Council do not have to accept a tier one decision. They can and should move it on to a High Court judgment.”

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