A decision by Nottinghamshire County Council to grant itself planning permission for the new bus station, at Station Road, has been quashed by a judge after a challenge by developers Aldergate Projects Ltd.

Mr Justice Andrew Collins backed the developers who complained the county council had thrown its project at neighbouring Stockwell Gate into doubt with its new bus station scheme.

The judge ruled that the council's planning officer had failed to communicate to its planning committee Aldergate's concerns about changes to the land levels of Station Road in the bus station redevelopment — which could potentially affect a vital access to its own development.

Mr Collins said: "It seems to me that it was clearly a material consideration and the failure to put it to the committee leads to unlawfulness."

Aldergate Projects gained outline planning permission last year for a range of business, retail and leisure facilities at the former Courtaulds factory, which is now a temporary car park.

But the company argued the council failed to impose conditions on its bus station planning permission so it knew what the new levels would be.

Now the judge has ruled that the authority must reconsider its decision, which he said was likely to lead to a condition being imposed on the bus station permission protecting Aldergate's interests.

Mr Collins said: "One has to bear in mind in the circumstances of this case the need for a global view to be taken about the regeneration of the town centre, of which both the bus station and the claimant's development are an integral part, and the concerns of the district council — indeed of everyone — that the regeneration should properly be able to take place.

"Part and parcel of that would be the question of access to the site by vehicles and the most convenient and sensible and proper means, so that there would be no problems of congestion if it was left to the two possible accesses that would otherwise exist."

Aldergate says the measures needed to develop its site would vary considerable depending what land levels are chosen for the bus station.

The county council gave itself planning permission in February this year for the new bus station, including shops, toilets and a cafe.