Plans to station military surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) on the roof of a tower block near the Olympic Stadium have been challenged by solicitors instructed by the block's residents' association, Harrow Community Support.
The residents of Fred Wigg Tower in Leytonstone in East London have instructed solicitors to act on their behalf over the matter, with papers lodged at the Royal Courts of London yesterday.
Their action seeks an injunction against plans to site the ground-based air defence system above families living among the block's 117 apartments.
Solicitors representing the residents will also argue that the decision to site the missiles on the tower block breached the residents' human rights as they were not consulted.
MOD officials are considering plans to site up to 6 sets of SAMs across London during the Games to protect London from potential aerial attack. However, the plans have not yet been confirmed by Whitehall.
The residents will be represented by Howe and Co. Martin Howe is a senior partner at the firm.
"The papers are lodged and this needs to get in front of a judge as quickly as possible. There are men and women who are very, very afraid," he said at the Law Courts in London, adding that the papers were likely to go before a judge early next week.
Mr Howe described how residents had already suffered a fearful experience last year when the block had to be evacuated after a fire.
"Residents had to be evacuated and it was a fearful experience. The last thing they need again is the risk of an explosion or disaster at their block," he said.
The tenants will argue that any decision to site missiles on their block should be subject to judicial review because there was no "fair and proper consultation process". Solicitors will argue that the decision breaches their Article 1 and 8 rights under the European Convention on Human Rights.
Source:
Tenants challenge Olympic missiles (Google / Press Association)
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