Heath home battle goes on

CAMPAIGNERS have vowed to continue their fight to prevent two millionaire brothers building a £3 million dream home on the edge of Hampstead Heath – despite a court setback last week.

Speaking at the Heath and Hampstead Society’s annual meeting in Rosslyn Hill, Hampstead, on Tuesday, its chief planning adviser, Gordon Maclean, said that to maintain the legal challenge was “a high-risk step”. He added: “We have to do it for the future of the Heath. The precedent this would set in the Vale of Health and around the fringes of the Heath is too appalling to consider.”

The society is seeking permission for a judicial review of the Town Hall’s decision to allow twins Thalis and Alex Vlachos, 32, to demolish the Garden House in the Vale of Health.

Society members argue that planning chiefs were wrong to allow the brothers to build a larger house on the site because it will mean the loss of protected green space.

Last week, a High Court judge turned down the society’s application, saying there was no reason to interfere with Camden’s decision.

But chairman Tony Hillier said: “We have two authoritative legal opinions that the judge was wrong in law but we recognise the courts are always reluctant to overturn a decision by a local authority. We have no choice but to proceed as prudently as we can.”

The legal challenge has cost the group £1,000 so far. Appealing against the decision is likely to cost a further £3,000. If the appeal is successful but the group subsequently loses the case, it could face a further bill of about £40,000.