A council is no longer facing court action over its plans to build temporary accommodation for homeless families on the site of a former community centre.

Three Rivers District Council confirmed to The Observer in August that a company based in the British Virgin Islands had initiated the “Pre-Action Protocol” stage of a Judicial Review over the decision to replace the empty Royal Voluntary Service centre in Bury Lane, Rickmansworth, with 17 flats.

The development has sparked fury among many people in Rickmansworth for months, who believe The Bury is an “unsuitable” place to rehome families needing shelter due to fears that the adjoining conservation area could become overcrowded.

Steven Halls, the Chief Executive of Three Rivers, previously stated the judicial review would determine whether Three Rivers “complied with policies and procedures when making the decision, rather than the merits of the site".

However, it has since been revealed that the review had to be formally lodged within six weeks of the planning permission decision being made – which was on July 11.

The council says the party seeking the judicial review is “now well out of time” as nothing has since been heard from them.

Dr Halls said: "A threat to judicially review the council’s decision to grant planning permission was made by a property developer registered in the British Virgin Islands.

"This legal challenge primarily focussed on whether the council had complied with local and national policies and procedures when granting the permission, rather than the merits of the scheme.

"I am pleased that no court action was taken and we can now go ahead with this initiative.”

Council leader Cllr Sara Bedford said: “I am delighted that Three Rivers can now get on with using its own land to provide housing for its own families, who have become homeless through no fault of their own.

“High local housing costs, plus recent changes to benefits and tax credits, mean that there are more families looking to us for help and support.

“I am pleased that more of them will be able to be housed in the community where they work and go to school, and where they have family and friends.”