The French Government has failed in a judicial review challenge to the validity of two certificates of lawfulness issued by the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea for works to the basement of a property next door to its embassy in London.
The neighbours, Foxtons estate agency founder Jon Hunt and his wife, plan to house their collection of vintage cars in the mega-basement at 10 Kensington Palace Gardens. The Hunts lease the property from the Crown Estate.
Mr Justice Holgate in the Planning Court concluded that the first five grounds for judicial review were ‘unarguable’ and failed, and the application to quash the certificates should be dismissed. He upheld the sixth ground – that Kensington & Chelsea had failed to enter a s. 192 certificate on its planning register – but the French Government accepted that this ground could not found an application to quash that certificate. Mr Justice Holgate granted a declaration.
