Have asked Allerdale if there's anything it wants to add specifically about the costs. Will know in the morning.

M-Sport’s plan for a world-leading technical evaluation centre is on track after a judicial review in the High Court gave the development the go ahead.

The rally firm says the £19 million centre at its Dovenby Hall base will safeguard the employment of its 200 current staff and create 100 jobs as it expands into road car technology.

Allerdale council approved the scheme in December, but objectors from nearby Dovenby and surrounding villages launched a judicial review as they had concerns over noise levels caused by a planned test track. 

The review was into Allerdale council's handling of the planning application.

A High Court judge said M-Sport must modify its noise monitoring to include logging the track's maximum levels. 

It applied for the amendment, approved by Allerdale council last month. 

This week the judge said the planning consent stood and would not be quashed by the courts.

Objectors were given 21 days to appeal.

Malcolm Wilson, M-Sport managing director, said: "After a delay of more than eight months, it’s heartening that we can now move ahead.

"The decision marks a new chapter in the history of M-Sport and I’m excited that we can continue to invest in the local workforce and boost local economy and employment prospects.”

Allerdale council has been ordered to pay £26,000 legal costs to Peter Nicholson, the campaigner who lodged the High Court bid to quash the planning consent.

Mr Nicholson, who lives 350 yards from the development, said he had been working with concerned locals who included professional scientists.

He said: “Allerdale and M-Sport tried to control noise without requiring maximum peak noise to be controlled.

“Put simply, the permission only controlled noise levels averaged over a one hour period. There was no consideration of maximum noise levels. 

“The outcome of the claim was a victory for local residents in that there is now an opportunity to put in place proper controls on noise, which the court recognised is essential for this development to be acceptable.”

Fellow campaigner Mike Fossey, of Dovenby, said: "The power and money of M-Sport and Allerdale council did not win the day against the nearby residents who were seeking to protect there right to live in their homes without excessive noise.

"This was a costly exercise and the award of costs against Allerdale does not cover the cost of bringing the judicial review.

"Had Allerdale and M-Sport acted reasonably in the first place and listened to evidence provided by objectors a great deal of time, worry and money would have been saved.

"Residents will scrutinize the actual maximum noise limit proposed by M-Sport and Allerdale who work together on these matters and will object to any unreasonable limit."

Work on the development is set to begin imminently.

A 60-bedroom hotel is planned alongside a manufacturing facility and test track.

An Allerdale council spokesman said: “We welcome the economic benefits this investment will bring to Allerdale. 

"The amendments agreed will further clarify the noise control measures which the council has always seen as fundamental to the safeguarding of the amenity of the local community.”