Hayling Island woodland wedding venue case to be heard by court
- Published
Tournerbury has been hosting weddings since 2003
Protesters against a woodland wedding venue have won the right to air their concerns at the High Court.
The Tournerbury Estate on Hayling Island, Hampshire, has hosted commercial weddings on the edge of Chichester Harbour since 2003.
The venue won retrospective planning permission in 2023.
A judge granted a judicial review hearing to Saving Tournerbury Woods campaigners, who said plans to protect the harbour had not been considered.
The site is within the Chichester Harbour conservation area
Havant Borough Council "failed to take account of the special qualities and policies of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty", they told the court.
Campaign leader Prof Jonathan Raper, who lives near the site, previously raised concerns about waste, noise pollution, and light pollution, the judge heard.
In its planning application, the Tournerbury Estate said its weddings would generate more than £1.7m for the local economy.
The local authority granted permission for 65 weddings a year.
The council told the court it had taken into account that "great weight should be given to conserving and enhancing landscape and scenic beauty", including the effect of artificial lighting.
However, the judge allowed a future judicial review hearing, overturning a High Court ruling in January.
The decision does not affect wedding bookings at the site.
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- Published2 May