Queens Park Rangers’ plans to build a new Training and Academy centre could be under threat after a campaign group lodged papers in the High Court claiming the decision to allow the development was unlawful.
‘Save Warren Farm’ campaigners lodged papers in the High Court of Justice to Judicially Review Ealing Council’s decision to sign over 61 acres of London’s Green Belt, rent free for 200 years, to QPR for their new Training and Academy HQ.
Queens Park Rangers’ plans to build a new Training and Academy centre could be under threat after a campaign group lodged papers in the High Court claiming the decision to allow the development was unlawful.
‘Save Warren Farm’ campaigners lodged papers in the High Court of Justice to Judicially Review Ealing Council’s decision to sign over 61 acres of London’s Green Belt, rent free for 200 years, to QPR for their new Training and Academy HQ.
Campaigners allege that the decision is unlawful on several grounds including the enclosure of Metropolitan Open Land (MOL) and concerns about the impartiality of councillors handling both the decision to grant the rent-free lease and the planning permission.
Warren Farm Playing Fields in the London Borough of Ealing are designated MOL and Community Open Space, within the Brent River Park. The land has been used as playing fields for the Borough’s schools and local sports clubs for over 50 years, but successive Councils have allowed the changing rooms to fall into disrepair.
QPR’s development would comprise a two storey plus basement training centre building, a three storey multi-functional ‘operations’ building (both the equivalent of a four/five storey block of flats), and an indoor sports hall (equivalent to a 5-6 storey residential block). There would be two other ancillary buildings, including an energy centre, the emissions stacks on which would also be the equivalent of 5-6 storeys high. They were hoping that the facility would be ready by 2016.