Fladgate triumphs in £17m planning row

The High Court has thrown out a £17m claim brought against Fladgate Fielder by Land Securities.

The multimillion-pound claim was brought after Fladgate sought to bring a judicial review of a planning application for a major development in London’s West End.

The property company aimed to recover damages for losses caused by delays and uncertainties brought about by the judicial review applications.

In a witness statement, Land Securities London portfolio director Mark Hussey alleged that the firm “plainly had in mind” the possibility of getting a ­financial “windfall” because of its negotiating position with the developer.

Fladgate argued that it would face “three years of hell” from the development, which could negatively impact on the firm’s turnover by as much as 25 per cent.

Judge Bernard Livesey QC dismissed the claim, saying that Hussey’s assertion that Fladgate was actively looking for a contribution to its ­relocation costs was “an interesting insight into the confidence [Hussey] has in his ability to read other ­people’s minds, [and] is not admissible evidence”.

Earlier this year Eversheds and Cobbetts settled respective negligence claims brought by Nationwide and Cheshire Building Society for advice on allegedly ­fraudulent property deals.