Tops Estates has failed to obtain permission for judicial review of the £150m Trinity Quarter retail scheme in Leeds city centre.
However, the company maintains that Leeds City Council have agreed to continue negotiations, and is hopeful that it can obtain backing for its own redevelopment proposal.
A spokesperson for Tops said: “The council have agreed to Tops’ request to delay their decision to back the USS [Universities Superannuation Scheme redevelopment]. This is good news because we’re still talking.”
On 3 September, Sullivan J, sitting in the High Court, refused to hear the developer’s application to quash a compulsory purchase order (CPO), due to be made by the council to USS.
The judge held that judicial review was “not an appropriate remedy”, but stated that Tops would have a “full opportunity to put forward all of its objections to the CPO at a public enquiry”.
He added: “Even if judicial review had been an appropriate remedy, the claim is, in any event, premature since the council have agreed to reconsider the matter.”
Following the ruling, Robert Walden, of USS, claimed: “The High Court decision is very clear and should help pave the way for the city council to make the CPO and for Trinity Quarter to move forward quickly. Leeds badly needs this important and long-overdue development.”
No date has been set for the council’s revision of the two schemes.
References: EGi Legal News 09/09/04
