Five of Woolwich’s crown courtrooms could be closed in just weeks as planning consent for the building they are based in is due to expire, according to reports.
They are housed in a temporary modular extension which was built in 2011 on agreement with Greenwich Council that they would be removed in ten years, Evening Standard reports, as they are not of long-term quality.
With consent due to expire this month, the Ministry of Justice is seeking permission to retain the extension or replace it permanently.
Greenwich Council, which is yet to receive an application, could order the extension to be pulled down when consent expires.
A Greenwich council spokesperson told Evening Standard: “We will be writing to the Ministry of Justice to remind it of the planning condition requirements for the temporary extension to Woolwich Crown Court, and to see if it wishes to extend planning permission
“It is not currently a breach of planning rules, but in the unlikely event that the Ministry of Justice was not to engage with us then it could be.
“The opportunity is always there to resolve these matters and we look forward to receiving its application to renew planning permission in due course.”
The MoJ is dealing with a 58,000-strong backlog of crown court cases across England and Wales as a result of the pandemic, despite introducing additional Nightingale Courts across the country.
Woolwich Crown Court has 12 courtrooms and deals with more than 750 cases a year.
It is linked by tunnel to Belmarsh and has been enhanced to handle complex terror trials, particularly those involving multiple defendants.
A spokesperson for the MoJ said: “A planning application is being made for the continued use of these court rooms at Woolwich Crown Court and we have been engaged with the local authority on this matter.”
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