ENVIRONMENT groups were today due in court to try and halt the building of the Weymouth relief road.

Transport 2000 and the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) are asking the High Court to review the granting of planning permission for the £84 million project.

The bodies claim Dorset County Council has ignored rules preventing development in areas of outstanding natural beauty (AONBs) by approving the scheme.

admitted the road would adversely impact the area.

The groups are unhappy it granted itself permission when the Government was considering calling the application in for a public enquiry.

Campaigners also claim the council failed to consult the South West Regional Assembly.

Transport 2000 executive director Stephen Joseph said: "The damage caused to Hardy's ridgeway is just not worth it.

"If allowed to go ahead, this road would not solve Weymouth's traffic problems and would instead increase traffic and add thousands of tonnes of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere every year."

CPRE chief executive Shaun Spiers added: "We would be failing in our role to protect the countryside if we did not take this important legal action. Policies to protect our most treasured landscapes are rightly very strong and must not be ignored."

But Coun Burden, member for Broadwey, accused the groups of trying to make completing the road by 2012 'virtually impossible'.

"All they're doing is delaying things," he said.

"I don't think they have any valid grounds to genuinely ask for a judicial review, because their concerns have all been addressed.

"I'm sure the courts will find everything has been conducted above board. That's my sincere hope for the community of Weymouth and Portland, because they've been waiting for this road for such a long time."

Coun Burden said the relief road is essential because public transport in the region is poor. He added: "I accept it should be a 'green' Olympics as much as possible.

"But we have to do everything to ensure this road is built in time for 2012. If it isn't it might reflect quite badly on our country."

But road capaigner county councillor Harry Burden said there are 'no grounds' for a judicial review - and that the road must be built by 2012.

Planners approved the application on April 16 and work could start early next year, for completion by 2011.

But Transport 2000 and the CPRE - along with the Woodland Trust and Friends of the Earth - are demanding a rethink.

The road would run through an area of the Dorset Downs AONB - which is heavily protected under planning law.

Campaigners say the council has ignored strict regional planning policies preventing development in AONBs.

Regional policy states that conservation of AONBs should be given priority over all other considerations.

It says development should only be approved where it would 'conserve and enhance' the AONB.

Transport 2000 and the CPRE argue that the council itself has admitted the road would adversely impact the area.

The groups are unhappy it granted itself permission when the Government was considering calling the application in for a public enquiry.

Campaigners also claim the council failed to consult the South West Regional Assembly.

Transport 2000 executive director Stephen Joseph said: "The damage caused to Hardy's ridgeway is just not worth it.

"If allowed to go ahead, this road would not solve Weymouth's traffic problems and would instead increase traffic and add thousands of tonnes of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere every year."

CPRE chief executive Shaun Spiers added: "We would be failing in our role to protect the countryside if we did not take this important legal action. Policies to protect our most treasured landscapes are rightly very strong and must not be ignored."

But Coun Burden, member for Broadwey, accused the groups of trying to make completing the road by 2012 virtually impossible'.

"All they're doing is delaying things," he said.

"I don't think they have any valid grounds to genuinely ask for a judicial review, because their concerns have all been addressed.

"I'm sure the courts will find everything has been conducted above board. That's my sincere hope for the community of Weymouth and Portland, because they've been waiting for this road for such a long time."

Coun Burden said the relief road is essential because public transport in the region is poor. He added: "I accept it should be a green' Olympics as much as possible.

"But we have to do everything to ensure this road is built in time for 2012. If it isn't it might reflect quite badly on our country."