We successfully acted for Sainsbury’s in defending a judicial review seeking to challenge planning permission for the supermarket’s new store in Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire. The application for permission was dismissed by the newly formed Planning Court on 22 May 2014 as “totally without merit“, just under four weeks from Sainsbury’s serving its grounds resisting the challenge.
Sainsbury’s new store in Whittlesey will comprise some 5,306sq.m (GEA) and also provide a new Country Park and shuttle bus service to the town centre.
Having been part of the team involved in securing planning permission for the scheme, we advised Sainsbury’s on the subsequent judicial review of the planning permission, including the new procedures for the recently formed Planning Court, in particular, to dispose of the challenge as quickly as possible.
Dave Lazenby, Town Planning Manager at Sainsbury’s, commented: “Dentons guided us seamlessly through each stage of this process and we are very pleased that the right and proper decision was reached so promptly.”
Michele Vas said: “It is pleasing that this development, which has much local support, has not been delayed any further through protracted court proceedings. This swift and decisive decision of the Planning Court signals a new era that court proceedings can no longer be used tactically to bring development to a halt.”
The Dentons team comprised Michele Vas and Katie Scuoler.
