Local South Leeds business Instaplanta (Yorkshire) Ltd has reached a settlement with Leeds City Council in their dispute alleging unfair competition by the local authority.
As we reported in June, the Council was denied a ‘Security of Costs’ order in the case at the Competition Appeal Tribunal, where Instaplanta were alleging that the Council has stifled its business model by unresonably denying it permission to site planters at roadside sites across the city.
Details of the decision were published earlier this month here. The report states that the settlement, worth over £500,000, avoided “significant, unrecoverable costs to the Council.” The Council has settled the case without any admission of liability. The report states:
“After the Competition Appeal Tribunal decided not to provide the Council any protection on its costs, settlement represents the lowest cost option available for both parties.”
Speaking to the Yorkshire Post, Instaplanta owner Malcolm Simpson said:
“I’m glad this is all over with and hopefully Instaplanta and the council can now move on to the future and work to create a positive partnership.
“It’s an amicable agreement. I think both parties are happy to put this behind them.
“It’s been eight years we’ve been fighting this so we’re glad it’s over.”
The agreement means that the Competition Appeal Tribunal trial scheduled for 6 November 2023 will no longer take place.
Photo: Malcolm Simpson of Instaplanta
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