What was to become one of the world's largest and most advanced telescopes may not be built at all.

The Hawaii Supreme Court on Wednesday invalidated a construction permit for the $1.4 billion Thirty Meter Telescope to be built atop the Big Island's Mauna Kea mountain.

The justices ruled the Hawaii Board of Land and Natural Resources violated due process when it approved the permit in 2011, prior to holding a hearing to evaluate a petition by a group challenging the project.

Quite simply, the board put the cart before the horse , Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald wrote.