Liverpool City Council have lost their High Court battle that may have seen part of Calderstones Park sold off to Redrow.
The opposition surrounds plans by Redrow Homes to build 51 homes on the Harthill Estate which is part of Calderstones Park.
Redrow was handed planning permission for the scheme in February 2017 – however campaigners argued that the land is part of Calderstones Park and should not be built on.
Mayor Joe Anderson has always been in support of the land being redeveloped for homes. They state that the space which is home to a riding school, a model railway and an ex-council depot is not accessible by the public.
Speaking at the High Court in London today Mr Justice Kerr said he has quashed both planning permissions – meaning no developments can go ahead on Calderstones Park.
Explaining his decision, he said: “I accept that green belt land and green wedge land differ in some respects, as pointed out. But because both are verdant, they share the quality of openness or open character. I reject the proposition that because openness is a term of art in planning law, open character is qualitatively different from openness.
“Land which is open has an open character and also the quality of openness. Undermining the open character of land undermines its openness.”
He concluded: “There is no other basis for withholding relief. I will therefore quash the two planning permissions.”
This is likely to have come as a huge blow to the Council and Mayor Joe Anderson as a contract had been signed stating that Redrow could purchase the land.