FORD ECO-TOWN: Council goes to court over eco-town word

That is the amount Arun District Council is spending by taking on the government in a High Court case.

The council has begun the legal challenge over a change of a word in the government's latest policy about eco-towns.

The policy in the agreed south east plan states council's should 'facilitate' eco-towns rather than 'test' them.

This could mean the controversial scheme of 5,000 homes around the former Ford Airfield being forced upon the council.

A deputy regional director of the Government Office of the South East, Howard Ewing, has admitted the change was an administrative error but said the final policy could only be changed in the High Court.

Arun has started that process. Councillors are meeting on Monday after being asked to support that move.

Karl Roberts, who heads the council's planning officers, told members of the Joint Downland area committee: "The council is concerned the change of word puts a different spin on how one should look at an eco-town.

"We are waiting for confirmation that our legal action is going to be unchallenged. But in due course the wording will be revised back to what it should be."

Vicky Newman, the chairman of the Communities Against Ford Eco-town action group, said: "The court action is worth every penny.

"To change that word from test to facilitate puts the emphasis on the fact the eco-town is going to happen and the council would have to find a way of making it happen.

"That totally skews the planning process. It's a good thing Arun is switched on and noticed that."

Arun's legal opinion says it is highly likely the legal costs will be reimbursed by the government once the court hearing is over.

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