THE battle to save the Limehouse Conservation Area in London’s East End is going to the Appeal Court.

It follows a High Court ruling last week that Tower Hamlets council’s designation of a conservation area—aimed at protecting a 1930s Labour Exchange building (pictured) from being bulldozed by developers—was flawed.

It was a bitter blow to conservationists who had persuaded the local authority to set up a conservation area around the historic Limehouse Cut two years ago to protect the disused jobcentre next to the canal bridge in Burdett Road.

But Trillium Property Group which bought the jobcentre after it closed down the year before claimed the conservation area was set up after their planning application and before any public consultation. It wants to put up two tower blocks of luxury flats overlooking the 200-year-old waterway.

Lawyers for the authority who failed last week to get permission to appeal from the High Court judge himself said today they would be taking the case to the Court of Appeal direct.