UK Supreme Court location announced

The constitutional shake up which was on ice due to lack of a suitable building and then narrowed down to Middlesex Guildhall or Somerset House might be back on track with an announcement that Middlesex Guildhall will be the home of the new Supreme Court, provided regulatory hassles like English Heritage and planning permissions are no obstacle. Lord Falconer's full written statement to the Lords details the Supreme Court proposals.

The Law Lords went for a viewing in April at which time it was reported,

The "art nouveau gothic" Middlesex Guildhall, built between 1906 and 1913 and decorated with medieval-style gargoyles, is the only site on the Department of Constitutional Affairs shortlist within easy reach of parliament.

It meets the law lords' requirement for a suitably "prestigious" building and complies with the wish of Lord Falconer, the constitutional affairs secretary, that the UK's new top court should not be sited too near the Royal Courts of Justice, the centre of the English court system.

Although less than a century old, the Guildhall is on a historic site, and incorporates a 17th-century doorway, a remnant of Tothill Fields prison which previously stood on the site.

There still remains the challenge of getting the Constitutional Reform bill through Parliament.

Posted by Paul in Legal System Law at December 15, 2004 05:50 PM | 0 Comments | Browse Related Books