COURT DATE SET FOR PROJECT JENNIFER DECISION
A date has been set for the ruling which will determine the future of the Project Jennifer scheme.
The £150m regeneration project will deliver new homes, community facilities, a major new supermarket, new shops, and significant public realm improvements to the Great Homer Street area, in north Liverpool.
However, the project has met with delay following the rejection of a rival planning application for a stand-alone Tesco food-store by a government planning inspector at the end of last year. The supermarket operator then launched a legal challenge, arguing that the inspector’s decision was wrong on a point of law.
Last month it was announced that partners St Modwen and Liverpool City Council had succeeded in having the hearing moved from London to a north west court in an effort to get the case heard sooner.
Court authorities have now confirmed that the hearing will take place on Wednesday 23 June at Manchester High Court.
Michelle Taylor, regional director at St Modwen, said: “It’s great news that a date for the hearing has finally been set. Our intention in requesting the court move to the north west was to help speed the process up. The June date is at least six months earlier than the case would have been heard in London and we’re delighted that the community will be able to find out the decision sooner.
“We will continue to press for the hearing to be brought forward in order that the community around Great Homer Street obtain some certainty on the future of the area as quickly as possible.”
“It has been a frustrating time for all involved. The community has always backed the Project Jennifer scheme because it will deliver real change in north Liverpool and we are looking forward to hearing the court’s decision. Hopefully, we will then be able to move forward with our proposals and deliver this important scheme.”
St Modwen had planned to start its land assembly process, via compulsory purchase order, by spring 2010. The developer says it is ready to press ahead with the scheme as soon as the legal challenge is dispatched.
