07-04-2025
Teesworks will not appeal against High Court port ruling
The UK's biggest freeport has dropped an appeal against a High Court ruling, which ordered it to pay millions of pounds in year, the court ruled PD Ports had the right to access land at the Teesworks redevelopment site in case was brought by Teesworks and the South Tees Development Corporation (STDC), which were ordered to pay the port's court costs, estimated at £ initially planned to appeal against the ruling but has confirmed to the Local Democracy Reporting Service the appeal had been withdrawn and discontinued.
Following the six-week trial, Mr Justice Rajah ruled in PD Ports' favour on six out of 18 claims under said the court case was needed to provide clarity on what access rights PD Ports had to the the time, Labour MP for Stockton North Alex Cunningham criticised the decision to pursue the "meaningless action" which he said landed the public with a "massive legal bill".
PD Ports, which operates Teesport, said the Court of Appeal largely refused Teesworks permission to appeal, except on pedestrian access along South Gare said it had never intended to appeal against the High Court ruling, which it again confirmed during a recent board Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: "Just to be clear from an STDC point of view, there's no additional financial liability at all on what Teesworks decide to do themselves. "But I believe that legal action's been discontinued."
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