Exclusive By Phil Coleman Chief reporter

Last updated at 08:43, Friday, 03 July 2009

A judge this week swept aside what is likely to be the last remaining obstacle to the ambitious £25m plan to redevelop Carlisle Airport.

There had been fears that the scheme was under threat after Irthington farmer Gordon Brown asked the High Court for a judicial review of Carlisle City Council’s decision to grant planning permission.

The court could have ordered the council to withdraw the planning permission had the challenge succeeded.

Mr Brown, 39, is managing partner of Lane End Farm, 25 acres of which is airport land leased by his father. His High Court application for a judicial review alleged that Carlisle City Council’s handling of the airport planning application was flawed.

Mr Brown has also argued that the airport scheme was not primarily about aviation, but an attempt to build a “colossal” haulage distribution centre which will have a major environmental impact.

But after considering the papers in the case in London this week, Deputy High Court Judge Anthony Thornton QC formally refused permission for a review.

He ordered that Mr Brown should pay £1,000 legal costs to the two defendants in the case – Carlisle City Council and Stobart Air Limited. Mr Brown now has until Monday to challenge that decision. Speaking yesterday afternoon, Mr Brown declined to discuss any details of the legal proceedings, but added: “I found out about the judge’s decision 24 hours ago and I’m now considering my position.”

If the farmer chooses not to oppose the judge’s decision, the way will be clear for the long-awaited airport development to finally go ahead.

A spokesman for Mr Tinkler said: “We’re delighted with the judge’s decision. He has taken the view that we have had all along – that there was no merit in this application.”

Carlisle City Council leader Mike Mitchelson also welcomed the judgement, saying: “The airport’s development is an integral part of building the economic future of Carlisle.”

When the scheme was first mooted, airport owner Andrew Tinkler said his vision was to make the site a national HQ for his expanding Eddie Stobart haulage business, safeguarding more than 500 jobs and creating 150 more.

The project includes creating 387,500 sq ft of warehouse space for Eddie Stobart; a four-storey office block shared by Eddie Stobart and Stobart Rail; a chilled dock, gatehouse, canteen and parking for 339 cars, 46 lorry cabs and 96 trailers.

Earlier this year, Mr Tinkler said that he hoped the 460-acre Crosby-on-Eden site will one day become a regional centre for aviation services that could eventually employ more than 1,000.

The scheme will also open up a passenger air service to London.

In his application for a judicial review, Mr Brown argued that proposed resurfacing work on the runway should not be permitted without a new environmental impact assessment by experts.

But Judge Thornton said work was either not development or it was in any case permitted. He pointed out also that at an earlier stage, this aspect of the project was in any case the subject of an environmental assessment.

First published at 05:15, Friday, 03 July 2009
Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk