After winning a costly legal battle, the property developer behind an exclusive golf course, luxury hotel and spa has rejected claims the case became politicised.

The Supreme Court has refused to let the Cherkley Campaign appeal against a Court of Appeal ruling which reinstated planning permission for the £50m project at Cherkley Court near Leatherhead.

In the wake of the decision, the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) said the planning system was being subverted to advance a political agenda of economic growth and giving a ‘carte blanche’ to developers.

But Ollie Vigors, director of the developer Longshot Cherkley Court, said: "I’m not sure why they think that. It’s got nothing to do with that."

Although the campaigners might not like Mole Valley Council’s decision to grant planning permission, he said: "They have challenged and challenged and it was found to be correct."

Mr Vigors said that planning regulations have to be followed and he did not see why this case should set a precedent elsewhere. He said: "The council made a decision. It was a democratic process and the democratic process ran its course."

The council's original green light was quashed when the campaigners won a judicial review at the High Court in 2013. But the Court of Appeal overturned this ruling and campaigners cannot now appeal to the Supreme Court.

Mr Vigors said: "We are obviously pleased and relieved but on the other hand we were always pretty confident it was the right decision. That has now been proven. We just want to get on with it. We are keen to get on with the job."

Work on the golf course is already under way and the transformation of press baron Lord Beaverbrook’s former mansion is due to begin shortly.

Mr Vigors said they are looking at hiring people to maintain the golf course but he was unable to say when its development would be finished and open to golfers and members.

He said: "We think there will be about 200 jobs, which is a reasonable amount and obviously we want to recruit locally as much as possible."

One of the other directors is his lifelong friend and entrepreneur Joel Cadbury, of the chocolate dynasty.

Environmentalists appalled by golf course ruling over Cherkley Court

Campaigners lose legal battle over golf course at Cherkley Court