Residents lose JR over air missiles on tower block

A High Court judge has rejected a judicial review challenge by residents over plans to site air defence missile systems on their tower block during the Olympic Games.

Howe & Co, lawyers for the residents of Fred Wigg Tower in Leytonstone, had been seeking an injunction.

They argued that there had been no consultation over the plans, which emerged after the London Borough of Waltham Forest agreed in April this year to grant a lease to the Ministry of Defence to the top of the tower.

It was claimed that the MOD had breached the residents’ rights under Article 8 and Article 1 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

But Mr Justice Haddon-Cave has today ruled that the law and facts “militate against the claim for judicial review”.

According to the BBC, the judge said residents had misunderstood the facts.

He added that the MOD had not been under any duty to consult and there had been no conspicuous unfairness in its not consulting.

Mr Justice Haddon-Cave added: "In my judgment the MoD's voluntary engagement with the community and residents in this matter were immaculate".