The investors claim that the original planning consent, granted in 2000, capped the factory outlet space allowable at 100,000 sq sf. London & Amsterdam then made an application--subsequently withdrawn--to increase this to 150,000 sf. But the disgruntled rival landlords allege that "without proper public consultation, or any fresh application for planning permission, the council last November decided to authorise a 10% increase in the original 100,000-sf limit, and on 6 March 2003 they agreed to increase it by another 10%."
The consortium alleges that the action taken by Easington District Council is illegal and is in direct contravention of Government policy on out of town shopping developments.Bob Mogford, Director of Shopping Centre Investment at Prudential Property Investment Managers which owns of most of Washington town centre including the Galleries shopping centre said: "Our advice is that both their decision last November, and on 6 March, are unlawful and we shall be asking the Court to quash these decisions."
A London & Amsterdam spokesman questioned told GlobeSt.com: "As we and the council have pursued the proper procedures we cannot understand, other than for purely commercial reasons, the actions of Realm, The Prudential and The Peterlee Partnership in seeking this Judicial Review," he said.
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