A HIGH court judge has ordered a review into the controversial decision to allow thousands of tonnes of rubble to be brought on to Basildon Golf Course.

Mr Justice Sir Andrew Collins delighted an army of campaigners, who have raised more than £14,000 to fund their legal battle, after he cleared the way for a full judicial review.

The High Court will now look into whether Basildon Council should have allowed plans, by private firm Jack Barker Ltd, to use up to 140,000 tonnes of spoil to reshape the course as part of a £1million revamp.

Lead campaigner Mick Toomer, 53, chairman of protest group Friends of Basildon Golf Course, is confident the council's decision will be overturned.

He said: "We knew we had a cast iron case. We certainly wouldn't have engaged a top- notch legal team without the evidence to support it. We are risking our own money.

"The handful of Conservative councillors so determined to continue with this lost cause are wasting council taxpayers money."

The judge agreed there was a case to answer and a need to find out whether Basildon Council carried out sufficient assessment of the scheme's environmental impact.

The review will also look into whether the county council should have been involved in the decision, as campaigners claim Jack Barker Ltd is using the site to dispose of building waste.

Basildon Council opposed the application for a judicial review in a written submission to Mr Justice Collins.

Council leader Malcolm Buckley has been left disappointed by the judge's decision and said: "I still think it is a waste of their money.

"This is not a surprise as rulings into whether or not there should be a judicial review usually go with the applicant."