THE hearing to decide whether residents’ application to have the Montefiore tennis courts in Ramsgate will be listed as a village green got under way this week.

The inquiry at the town’s Albion House, Ramsgate is over a piece of land called “the old bowling green” in Montefiore Avenue. Residents have made a village green application in order to preserve the tennis courts situated there.

Thanet council is challenging the application because it wants to sell the land. If the residents’ group, which calls itself Hoot – for  Hands Off Our Tennis courts – is successful in its application it could scupper any council plans to develop on the site.

Thanet council has hired a barrister to represent its interests at the inquiry.                  

A council spokesman said they could not yet say how much that would cost.

He said: “The council is always represented at formal proceedings, such as employment tribunals and planning inquiries. This is to protect the public interest and the public purse. We cannot confirm on the cost to the council of the case at this stage, as the cost will not be known until the case is concluded. It would be inappropriate for the council to comment further until the inquiry has concluded and the inspector's decision is known.”

The inquiry is expected to be concluded today (Friday) but it may be some months before Kent County Council makes a decision based on the inspector’s report.