Battle of Quay is moving to High Court

The battle to establish the right of the community to use Mistley Quay as a Village Green has moved to the High Court.

Following a nine day inquiry conducted by Alun Alesbury QC on behalf of Essex County Council almost two years ago, the Council declared Mistley Quay to be a Village Green. As a result, the people of Mistley and visitors to the area could continue to enjoy activities which had always taken place on the Quay.

TW Logistics, the operator of the port at Mistley, has now applied to the High Court for the decision of ECC to be reviewed; ECC will be defending their decision at a hearing later this year which is expected to last between 5 and 10 days.

Simon Bullimore, Chairman of FTQ, the protest group set up to establish the rights of local people to continue to use the Quay said: “It’s a great disappointment to us that TWL feel unable to accept the decision of Essex County Council. It is now nearly six years since we first offered to pay for an acceptable barrier at the quayside suitable to the Mistley conservation area. TWL, for some reason we cannot understand, prefer the expense of time consuming court proceedings to living peaceably with their neighbours in the community”.

Ian Tucker, who made the Village Green application on behalf of the people of Mistley said: “This battle has already cost the local community about £60,000. We have had an exhaustive Inquiry by a very experienced QC at which TWL had the opportunity to present all their arguments and now they wish to run over the same ground again.”

In the meantime, nothing will prevent the local community from continuing to use the Quay. Nancy Bell, who lives with her young family on the Quay said: “It is great that Essex County Council have declared the Quay to be a Village Green. Essex have been very supportive throughout and we look forward to helping them defend the decision they have made”.

A number of fundraising events are planned for the summer to meet the costs of supporting ECC in defending the proceeding brought by TWL.
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These include:
The Great Mistley Garage Sale – 3 May – 10.00 am to 4.00 pm at Swan Basin, Mistley
70s Disco Boogie Night -16 May – 8.00 pm till late in Mistley Church Hall, Mistley