Parents battling to save a home for autistic children are celebrating after council officials agreed to return to the drawing board.

A High Court judge yesterday quashed Brighton and Hove Council's decision to close the Palmeria Project, a centre for autistic children in Hove.

Stephen Cobb, acting on behalf of Brighton and Hove Council, asked for an adjournment.

Council chiefs will use the time to draw up a new report and draft resolutions for the centre, taking into account the views of parents and home owners, NCH Action for Children.

Mr Cobb said the council had not realised the extent of the challenge to their decision to close the centre and wanted the Policy and Resources Committee to rethink the Project's future.

Jenny Richards, representing the parents and children, opposed the adjournment, claiming that without a court judgement, any reconsideration by the committee would be fruitless.

She said: "The concerns of parents and the issues raised by them have been known by the council for several months.

"There has been no acknowledgement that the allegations made had any substance.

"Without a court judgement, this will juts be a paper exercise."

Miss Richards said the project was set up in 1998 "on the clear understanding" that the five youngsters, aged between 16 and 11, would be able to stay there until they reached adulthood.

She said the original budget had been "flawed from the start" and it was apparent more funds were needed.

Mr Justice Hooper acknowledged the parents' concerns, but agreed to adjourn until the New Year, with the order that the council's original decision to close the centre was quashed.

He said he was "very impressed" with what the families had managed to do, and indicated that the council would be made to pay "a substantial amount" of the legal costs, which are estimated to be around £100,000.

The council has until the end of November to prepare the new report and draft resolutions with the NCH and the families.

Speaking at the end of the hearing, one father said the council now had an opportunity to "right the wrongs" that had been done to the children.

The council's strategic director for Social Care and Health, Allan Bowman, said: "We welcome the opportunity to end this period of uncertainty that has been very difficult for those concerned.

"I will now seek an urgent meeting with the Chief Executive of NCH so that we can move forward for the sake of the children."