High Court sets date for Great Homer hearing

Court authorities confirmed that the legal challenge by Tesco into a planning rejection in Liverpool which St Modwen and Liverpool City Council say is delaying a £150m regeneration scheme will be heard on Wednesday 23 June at Manchester High Court.

Tesco ceased talks with St Modwen for a large anchor store in Project Jennifer, around Great Homer Street in North Liverpool in 2008. It subsequently submitted a planning application for a stand-alone Tesco food-store. The government rejected the application after public inquiry and the supermarket operator then launched a legal challenge, arguing that the inspector's decision was wrong on a point of law.

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 considerably 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.

"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.