Developer Ridgeland Properties is seeking to have a 2009 Land Tribunal ruling supporting a £4.5m CPO payment overturned.
Ridgeland was forced to sell Tollgate House in Bristol to the city council as part of a 2003 compulsory purchase order to make way for Cabot Circus car park.
It was paid £4.5m by the council, but claimed that the building was worth as much as £26m. Ridgeland had hoped to redevelop the 19-storey building – one the second tallest in Bristol – as a residential block, with anciliary offices and leisure.
The developer is now seeking to have the Court of Appeal overturn the Land Tribunal’s May 2009 valuation decision and order it to reconsider the matter
During the tribunal, Ridgeland had claimed that the CPO prevented it pursuing a scheme that would involve increasing the building’s height by six storeys, in order to provide 485 flats, a 24,000 sq ft gym, 18,000 sq ft of offices and 371 parking spaces.
The council countered that there was no prospect of the scheme being granted permission. It claimed the site had a maximum value of £2.4m.
Ridgeland is now claiming that the decision should be set aside as the tribunal judges failed to reopen the hearing to consider three letters relating to offers for the land. The letters were put forward as new evidence in June 2009.
The council claims the letters were of no value to the case and that the decision should stand.
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