Tottenham Hostpur have won the latest stage of their legal battle with West Ham United over who should be the legacy tenant at the Olympic Stadium. In the High Court Mr Justice Collins questioned the £40m loan deal West Ham had struck with its stadium partner, Newham Council.
A judicial review has been scheduled for October 17th. If the defendants in the case, the Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) and Newham, lose the case the stadium competition might have to be run again.
Tottenham Hostpur have won the latest stage of their legal battle with West Ham United over who should be the legacy tenant at the Olympic Stadium. In the High Court Mr Justice Collins questioned the £40m loan deal West Ham had struck with its stadium partner, Newham Council.
A judicial review has been scheduled for October 17th. If the defendants in the case, the Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) and Newham, lose the case the stadium competition might have to be run again.
Leyton Orient is also an applicant in the judicial review. It is the closest club to the Olympic Stadium and argues that the relocation of West Ham there would put its survival at risk. However, the judge granted a review on the specific question of state aid.
Lawyers for Spurs maintained that the £40m loan gave West Ham an economic advantage and should have been referred to the European Commission for approval. Justice Collins ruled that as no commercial bank would have made a loan to West Ham, ‘state aid comes into the picture’.
Spurs may yet decide to drop the case depending on the progress of talks with the Mayor of London’s office over public sector funding to redevelop White Hart Lane. Those talks were resumed after the London riots which started in Tottenham.