THE BATTLE to stop a temporary police base being built on Wanstead Flats will move to the courts later this week, according to campaigners.

MPs voted to amend the 1878 Epping Forest Act to allow the base to be built ahead of next year’s Olympics.

That decision was rubberstamped by The House of Lords and signed off by Home Office Minister for Security, James Brokenshire, last week.

But Michael Pelling of the Save Wanstead Flats group said: “A judicial review claim is well in hand.

“We’re aiming to lodge it with the High Court this week.

“We will seek to quash the legislative reform order on the basis that the Home Office consultation was fundamentally flawed.”

The amendment, which will come into effect on August 1, allows for a 90-day window in which building work will be allowed to take place on Wanstead Flats. That work is due to begin on June 23, 2012.

A spokesman for The Home Office said: “The amendment to the Epping Forest Act is time limited to 90 days and will expire once the Games has finished.

“This amendment is not permanent and we have no intention to make it so. It is important that this well loved space is preserved for the future."

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