WE have now received official confirmation that stadium owners Brandon Estates have not chosen to pursue a High Court challenge to the outcome of the recent planning inquiry.
The appeal against the refusal of planning permission, arising from the November 2022 Planning Committee decision at Rugby Borough Council, was dismissed by inspector Helen Hockenhull in mid-January, after evidence from all parties had been heard last autumn.
The remaining option available to the appellants would have been a Judicial Review based on a legal challenge (rather than a challenge to the decision itself).
We understand speedway and stock car fans, and local residents, have been eager to know what might happen next, and there has been plenty of speculation; however, we had to wait for a six-week period to expire, which was the window in which the High Court challenge could be submitted.
Recent correspondence with the Planning Inspectorate has confirmed there has been no challenge.
We are naturally delighted that this marks the end of this particular part of the process, and also that our approach to each stage has been vindicated.
We must once again place on record our thanks to everyone from the sporting and local community who stepped up in such spectacular numbers last summer to assist us with the cost of legal representation.
Anyone who watched the planning inquiry, and will therefore now understand the way it was conducted, will have seen how being represented in this manner was crucial to our chances of success.
Likewise to our witnesses and those who spoke in support of the stadium at the inquiry, your honesty and passion shone through under difficult scrutiny, and it is sincerely appreciated.
There is now much for us to consider as a Campaign Group, doubtless with further meetings to be arranged over the coming weeks.
At this stage it is too early to give any clear indication over what is to follow, or any timescales, other than to say that at every stage of the planning application we have worked through potential scenarios and considered our strategy under every likely circumstance.
We thank everyone for their support – it has been hugely appreciated, and never more so than during the time of the Appeal – and can assure you that with this huge hurdle cleared, we retain an unstinting commitment to get speedway and stock car racing back to their rightful place at Brandon Stadium, and finally bring this saga to an end for the benefit of both the sports and the local community.
