Residents opposed to the recent High Court decision regarding the controversial Haringey housing development scheme plan to appeal.

A judicial review on Thursday February 8 of the Haringey Development Vehicle (HDV) found in Haringey Council’s favour.

Mr Justice Ouseley, sitting in the High Court, said that Haringey Council was under a duty to effectively consult local residents.

However, a legal technicality meant the Council should have done this in 2015, when the tendering process started, and not in July 2017 when the Council established the HDV.

Under the council’s HDV plans, publicly owned land and housing are set to be transferred to private partner Lendlease in a 50/50 partnership between the Labour-led council and Lendlease.

Labour’s National Executive Committee recently voted to halt the housing privatisation plans.

The resignation of the Leader of the council Claire Kober followed.

Rowan Smith, the lawyer representing Haringey residents and the lead claimant, Gordon Peters, said: “This judgment, although bitterly disappointing, is very timely, given the recent controversy surrounding the involvement of private companies in the delivery of public services.

“The court agreed with us that the council was under a duty to consult the residents of Haringey about the establishment of the Haringey Development Vehicle, and just as importantly that such a consultation would have made a difference.

“It is a technicality around the date when that duty arose which has deprived those residents of the opportunity to express their views, which are likely to have been overwhelming against the proposals.

“The judge also recognised the merit, in and gave extensive consideration to, our argument concerning whether the council had the legal power to set up the HDV as a Limited Liability Partnership.

“Our client will appeal this judgment against a political back drop which has seen the council leader resign and the Labour party’s central committee recommend that current plans are halted, as well as the opposition party’s call for a vote to stop the HDV.

“If assurances are not forthcoming, we intend to write to the council seeking confirmation that contracts with Lendlease will not be signed until the conclusion of the appeal.”

David Wolfe QC (Matrix) and Sarah Sackman & Katherine Barnes (Francis Taylor Buildings) represented the client.

Haringey Council’s response to the Royal Court of Justice’s judgement following a judicial review of the Haringey Development Vehicle, is: “We welcome the court’s findings which very clearly state that permission to proceed with the claim for judicial review is refused on all grounds.

“We’ve been clear that we are committed to delivering the new homes, jobs and community facilities that local people have told us they want to see.

“The partnership would enable us to build 6,400 new homes and create thousands of new jobs, as well as delivering a wide-ranging programme of community projects – such as re-built state-of-the-art schools; new parks and open spaces; training and apprenticeships, and health and wellbeing projects – that would enable everyone in Haringey to take advantage of all the opportunities this could bring.

“Following the decision taken by Cabinet in July 2017, establishing the HDV remains the Council’s agreed approach to providing much needed homes and jobs on its own land and Lendlease remains the Council’s preferred partner.

“Last week, the Leader of the Council, Cllr Claire Kober, explained that she does not intend to take the final decisions required for the set up of the HDV prior to the start of the pre-election period which begins on March 26.

“Whilst we are very pleased that the court has supported the Council’s position, we are still working on the basis that the final decision to establish the HDV will be taken by a future administration.”