A DATE has now been confirmed for a High Court hearing into a council’s decision to grant permission for a £15 million road project.

A judicial review of the decision by Hastings Borough Council's planning committee to grant permission for the £15m Queensway Gateway road will be heard in the High Court next Thursday and Friday.

The legal challenge will be led by specialist environmental and public law firm Richard Buxton on behalf of St Leonard's resident Gabriel Carlyle.

Opponents to the scheme claim the committee should not have granted planning permission for the project as the road would breach national and EU laws on air pollution.

Permission for the Queensway Gateway road was granted in February despite almost 500 objectors concerned about “the irreparable damage” the road building would cause to Hollington Valley local wildlife site.

Work on the project has been halted while the legal case is heard.

Mr Carlyle said: “Hastings Borough Council granted permission for this road even though it was clear that it would breach national and EU directives on air pollution, as well as increase CO2 emissions.

“It would also completely destroy an important local wildlife site.

“This legal challenge aims to compel the Council to reconsider this damaging waste of public money before it is too late”.