A HIGH COURT judge has given new life to controversial plans for a hard runway at Redhill Aerodrome.
The proposals, which have been strongly opposed by residents around the site in Kings Mill Lane, South Nutfield, were rejected by both Reigate and Banstead Borough Council and Tandridge District Council last summer.
A planning inspector upheld the councils' decision in January, but last week a High Court judge allowed an appeal by aerodrome bosses against the inspector's decision.
A statement from Redhill Aerodrome Limited said: "The High Court has upheld the appeal and therefore quashed the inspector's decision.
"The reason for this is that the planning inspector misapplied Government planning policy on green belt."
Aerodrome chief executive Ann Bartaby added: "We are, obviously, pleased with the decision but we appreciate there is a lot of other steps to go through.
"We don't know what will happen next so we have to wait and see."
But opponents to the scheme played down suggestions of a victory for the aerodrome, saying the judge's decision was on a "technical matter" in the inspector's wording.
Paul Murray, secretary of campaign group Keep Redhill Aerodrome Green, added: "Yet again more public money is being spent defending this green belt site against the desire by the owners to generate additional profits.
"It was a green belt site when they bought it and [the owners] continue to fail to understand that this designation very severely constricts the possibility of development."
During January's inquiry, lawyers for the council and those for the aerodrome argued over whether the number of jobs a hard runway would create would constitute the "special circumstances" needed to allow development of the green belt site.
Aerodrome bosses say a concrete runway replacing the three grass ones would secure the 140 jobs currently at the aerodrome and create between 120 and 180 more by making the site viable all year. Rain and snow can put the grass runways out of action.
Inspector Diane Lewis rejected the aerodrome's argument, but the High Court overturned her judgment on Friday.
The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Eric Pickles has 21 days from July 18 to appeal to the Supreme Court against the High Court's decision.
If he does not do so, or if the appeal is lost, then a new planning inquiry will be held to re-examine the plans.
