Sunday 22 October 2017

STOP THE HDV: High Court, Oct 25/26 Public vs privatisers of public property

From Stop HDV


The Judicial Review on the Haringey Development Vehicle takes place in the High Court , Royal Courts of Justice, The Strand, London WC2A 2LL on 25 and 26 October, we hope supporters can come and join us in demonstrating support from 9 to 10 am particularly on the first day 25 October.

There will also be some public seating from 10 am.

The challenge is to Haringey Council setting up a supposedly 50/50 partnership with the Australian multi-national corporation, Lendlease, to take over land and property belonging to the Council, involving demolition and regeneration of estates as well as business premises and private houses in 'red-lined areas’. If it goes ahead it will be the biggest such transfer of local authority resources to a private entity in UK history. Lendlease have now joined Haringey as a defendant of the HDV in court.
 And all this
 without consulting the public on the HDV
  • or taking it to a full Council meeting
  • or sharing any of the financial risks to the public purse and assessment of viability
  • or considering the consequences for the very diverse population and for vulnerable people through equalities impact
  • or due consideration of partnership or company status.
Just ten years after the sell off of Alexandra Palace in Haringey was averted in court, with David Wolfe, QC acting for the claimants in that case, he will lead the legal team in court on 25 October in the attempt to stop the HDV.

None of this would have been possible without the amazing support from the several hundred people who have contributed through our crowdfunding to raise £25,000. £20,000 of this is required for our community cap on any awards which will be requested of the judge. The solicitors for the case, Leigh Day, and the barristers have put a great deal of work in to it, and as a result We are now asking for another £5,000 to make up the fees and costs accruing.

We hope you will make another donation, small or large, if you possibly can. You can donate to the crowdfunder at https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/stop-hdv/

This case has implications for the future of social housing in London and beyond, and at a time of acute crisis in that and the need for alternatives to corporate control of housing, for the creation of a fairer system and an end to decanting poorer people, it could be a landmark in helping local authorities change course.



1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Lendlease, Haringay and Terrapin (the PR company that took Cllr. Butt out to dinner with developers in May):
https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/43avj3/the-london-lobbyist-with-ties-to-billions-of-pounds-of-gentrification