A Croydon Council tenant who won a sign-post right-to-buy court ruling in April this year now faces new legal moves to strip her of her victory.

Following a five year legal ping-pong match over the finer points of housing law, the Environment Secretary has now gone to the House of Lords to stop Caroline O'Byrne from exercising her "right to buy" The Stables Flat in Coombe Wood Park, Conduit Lane, on the grounds the sale could hamper the future management of the green belt it stands on.

This is despite the sign-post ruling by the Court of Appeal in April that the Environment Secretary was wrong to stand in the way.

The flat would now sell on the open market for considerably more than the agreed value of £30,780.

The ruling was one which could pave the way for many other tenants living in desirable council-owned properties in the London Green Belt.

November 21, 2001 15:30