Walton wins legal battle against Liverpool council

Exclusive by Michael Gordon



Liverpool City Council lost its legal battle against developer the Walton Group last week over construction of the £125 million National Discovery Park at Chavasse Park. But in a surprise move after the Technology and Construction Court hearing, Walton offered to build the millennium project for nothing on another site in Liverpool.

The dispute centred on the use of derelict land at Chavasse Park, on which the council had intended to build the National Discovery Park.

Although the council won a week-long trial last month giving it unequivocal rights to the site, Walton made an immediate appeal (CJ 4 August). That appeal was held on 27 August and the judgment was reserved until last week when it was announced that Walton had won.

Mike Storey, leader of Liverpool City Council said: "We will now need some time to consider the full implications of the ruling in this complex matter."

Walton paid £25,000 for a reservation order on the Chavasse Park site in 1996. Walton claimed that its £160 million shopping complex scheme must take priority over the discovery park plan because the park developers overran the deadline for raising funding, which expired on 31 March.

Walton's head of public affairs, Brian Jones, told CJ: "We do not see this as a victory for the Walton Group, we see it as a victory for the people of the city of Liverpool. It will bring £160 million worth of investment into the city, creating 6,000 permanent jobs with 1,500 construction jobs. The shopping development will put Liverpool back up at the top of the premier league. By 2002 Liverpool will become the retail capital of the region."

Jones added: "The Walton Group will build, at no cost to the people of Liverpool, the discovery park and the Media Factory. And we will liase with all concerned to ensure everyone is a winner.

"We will build wherever the council designates but we believe the waterfront would be ideal."