London courts

The scheme for the restructuring of the Commercial Court in London, likely to be submitted for approval to the Department for Constitutional Affairs and then to the Treasury, envisages erecting a new 27-court building on the site of the Queen’s Building at the Royal Courts of Justice. This would house the Commercial, Admiralty and Construction Technology Courts. The Family Court would move from First Avenue House in Holborn to the RCJ, to be replaced by the Central London County Court. St Dunstan’s House, where the Central London County Court sits, would be sold. Funding for the project would be achieved from savings in the allocation of existing court premises – the sale of St Dunstan’s House alone is expected to raise £7m, while uniting the county court into one site should save £lm a year. Additional costs will be met through a £70–100m private finance initiative and, controversially, a rise in court fees. (See 22/ LL p16.)