FRED GROVE WINS RIGHT TO LAWYER

26-12-2006

Battling Brummie Fred Grove has won the right to full legal representation in his fight to stay inthefamily home in Vauxhall - at the heart of the Eastside regeneration area.

Regular readers will know that Fred has been served with a compulsory purchase order onthe canalside cottage which has been the family home for more than 40 years.

There are no plans to demolish the property, but Birmingham Counciland Advantage West Midlands believe developers will be unwilling to take over the site if there are sitting tenants.

Other objectors to the plans include the owners of the nearby Rosa's Café who say that cleansing the site of its existing occupants is at odds with the scheme'ssupposed aim of being a “sustainable” project.

Fred has now been told that he will be entitled to legal aid allowing him to hire a £500 a day barrister fora public hearing due to start of February 12.

This is a rare piece of good news for the brave pensioner who is still overcoming the recent unexpected death of his daughter Marilyn from a brain tumour at the age of 51.

Shewrote about Fred'scase on this site and was his fiercest advocate. She will be sorely missed.

More about Fred and the development >>> here