A decision on an appeal in relation to a major housing scheme proposed for Green Belt land in St Albans is expected to be announced before Christmas.

St Albans district council is now awaiting a Court of Appeal judgement, after its appeal was heard at the High Court in London last Wednesday.

The hearing was initiated following a successful appeal by Hunston Properties in relation to Green Belt land to the rear of 112-156B Harpenden Road.

Hunston has been pushing for the go-ahead to construct Sewell Park – a development of 116 homes, a 72-bed care home, new access road, two tennis courts and open space on the site. The firm successfully challenged a planning inspector’s decision to dismiss its application to build the development.

But the council later announced it would seek the Court of Appeal’s permission to appeal against the order quashing the planning inspector’s decision.

At the High Court last week the Presiding Judge, Lord Justice Kay, said the judgement would be reserved to a later date.

District councillor for Batchwood Mal Pakenham, who attended the four-hour-long hearing, said that a decision was expected before Christmas.

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