The High Court is to rehear a dispute over the development of an historic goods yard in London’s Bishopsgate.
A local resident has brought a second judicial review challenge in opposition to London Underground Ltd’s proposal to demolish the yard, to allow for an extension to the East London railway line.
In November 2002, the High Court declared that the scheme would breach planning permission, but held that local planning authorities were to decide whether to take action against LUL.
Hackney London Borough Council and Tower Hamlets London Borough Council later stated that if LUL were to continue the railway extensions without permission, they would not take enforcement action.
Following that decision, resident Andy Prokopp has sought an injunction to prevent LUL from carrying out the works.
He claims: “I would like to see the line extension built as much as anyone else, but it is completely unnecessary to knock down the historic yard. They could easily build the line extension, which is, after all, a light railway, over the existing structure.”
The yard contains some of the oldest railway arches in the world, and is said to be of significant cultural and historical interest.
References: PLS News 15/4/03
