North Lanarkshire wins Supreme Court land case

A COUNCIL has won a long-running legal battle against being forced to sell land worth more than £5 million for a tenth of its value.

North Lanarkshire was finally successful at the Supreme Court in its fight against Multi-Link Leisure Developments.

Multi-Link had secured a 50-year lease for the land in East Waterhead Farm, Cumbernauld, in June 1999, to build a pay and play golf course. The deal included an option to buy it for 500,000. However North Lanarkshire's Local Plan designated the site as having potential for a large housing development, a decision which saw its value rise to 5.3m. Multi-Link then sought to buy the land at its original value. The Court of Session, in Edinburgh, originally found in Multi-Link's favour, but the Supreme Court in London has found for the council.

John O'Hagan, executive director of corporate services at North Lanarkshire, said: "The council's purpose throughout has been to ensure that appropriate value is secured for the public purse. That has been achieved."

Multi-Link's lawyers Anderson Fyfe declined to comment.