Court of Appeal to hear dispute over decision to close adult education centre

The London Borough of Bromley plans to sell the site of the Poverest Centre, some of whose attendees have learning difficulties, for housing and transfer courses elsewhere in the borough.

Following a rolled-up hearing in November 2025, Andrew Burns KC, sitting as a deputy judge of the High Court, found in January this year that long-term users of the centre had a legitimate expectation to consultation “in the same way that a local authority should consult residents of an old people's home or users of a care centre which they proposed to close”.

However, he decided the outcome for the claimant would have been the same even had Bromley correctly consulted service users before deciding to close the centre.

Mr Burns held that 31(2A) of the Senior Courts Act 1981 applied to the case.

The claimant appealed.

Lord Justice Baker, Lord Justice Dingemans, The Senior President of Tribunals and Lady Justice Whipple will hear the case on 9-10 June.

The case will be live streamed.