Legal wrangle over Newport stores likely to cost £1.5m
The legal wrangle over supermarkets in Newport is likely to cost Telford & Wrekin Council at least £1.5m, it was revealed today.
New figures show that Telford & Wrekin Council has already shelled out more than £1.2m in legal fees over three proposed supermarkets in Newport – at Station Road, Audley Avenue and Mere Park Garden Centre.
And with another three-week inquiry – and possibly another court appearance – still to come, that figure is likely to rocket.
The latest figures have been obtained by Conservative councillor Andrew Eade.
They also show the council spent £1,573.60 to send seven solicitors and officers to a court case in London to argue against a Morrisons in Audley Avenue, which the council lost.
The council says it will recoup the money through £21m land sales if the Sainsbury's at Station Road goes ahead. But Councillor Eade described the situation as a "fiasco."
He said: "On top of running up this huge bill the council has yet to pay for another planning inquiry and has also decided to continue fighting through the courts.
"This will see the overall bill approach £2m, despite a High Court judge telling them that they have no grounds for appeal and cannot live in the world of Humpty Dumpty."
Council spokesman Russell Griffin said: "The council and all the other parties to the inquiry continue to have a responsibility to properly and fully present their evidence and arguments to assist the new inspector in reaching an informed decision. The council will undoubtedly incur expense both as landowner and local planning authority."
He said the second inquiry would cost, "significantly less" than the first as the bulk of work had already been completed.
