Forum Message

Topic: Empire House - update
Posted by: Loraine Pemberton
Date/Time: 02/10/15 08:22:00

"Update: Fighting for the Future of Chiswick
An update from Simon Kverndal QC 
 
As one of our highly valued supporters, I want to thank you once again most warmly for that support and to report briefly on where we have got to in the Empire House/Essex Place case. 

The £20,000 so far raised by our appeal has enabled us to prepare for and advance a very strong case in the High Court.  The process has, however, been more drawn out and costly than expected (and I regret to say we therefore have a significant funding gap): having failed to win permission ‘on paper’ to pursue the judicial review we had to brief counsel to appear to renew that application orally (29 July).  At that hearing the Judge did not have time to decide the application and so directed that it should be ‘rolled over’ to be heard at the same time (if successful) as the full judicial review hearing; this outcome was in effect the same as if we had been given permission and so very welcome. 

The full judicial hearing was therefore fixed for this week (29/30 September).  Our case was presented and argued with outstanding advocacy by our counsel, Dan Kolinsky QC.  London Borough of Hounslow instructed Richard Harwood QC and Lend Lease instructed James Strachan QC; the judge is Mr Justice Supperstone (author of the leading textbook on Judicial Review).

I believe it is fair to say that the Judge recognised it to be a complex and difficult case to which he gave and will give very careful and thorough consideration, that all our points are very much alive, and that the outcome is uncertain.  I think we have done very well indeed to get this far and to have given ourselves a very real chance of success.

The Judge has reserved judgement: we will of course let our supporters know the result as quickly as we can.  My educated guess is that we can expect to wait 2 to 3 weeks.  There may well be an appeal and if there is we will of course be seeking further funding from our supporters.  But we have done exceptionally well so far, thanks to your support and to our outstanding legal team, and I sincerely hope that you will be able to support us further in our fight for the future of Chiswick.  There is a huge amount at stake here, to stop the spread of high rise development along and in the vicinity of the High Road, to get the Council to honour their own policies and aspirations with regard to this site and this area (in particular, maximum heights of 3-4 storeys) and to preserve the very special character and heritage of the Chiswick area and the High Road (and its vicinity) in particular."


Entire Thread
TopicDate PostedPosted By
Empire House - update02/10/15 08:22:00 Loraine Pemberton
   Re:Empire House - update02/10/15 10:10:00 Rima Jones
   Re:Empire House - update02/10/15 12:51:00 Andy Murray
      Re:Re:Empire House - update02/10/15 13:03:00 Adam Beamish
         Re:Re:Re:Empire House - update02/10/15 13:49:00 Claire Moran
            Re:Re:Re:Re:Empire House - update02/10/15 14:31:00 Michael Robinson
               Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Empire House - update02/10/15 14:33:00 Elizabeth Ross
                  Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Empire House - update02/10/15 14:38:00 Michael Robinson
                  Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Empire House - update02/10/15 14:42:00 Adam Beamish
                  Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Empire House - update02/10/15 14:42:00 Loraine Pemberton
                     Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Empire House - update02/10/15 14:56:00 Rima Jones

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