Hull council loses legal action on Airco Arena pitch

A legal challenge against the owners of Hull City Football Club over the installation of a synthetic pitch at a sports arena has failed.

The Tigers laid the surface at the Airco Arena in April, without Hull City Council's permission and preventing groups from using the facility.

The council said it was disappointed the court had ruled the owners had not breached the terms of its lease.

SuperStadium Management Committee (SMC) said it was "pleased by the outcome".

The arena is part of a sports complex in the city's West Park which includes the KC Stadium, home of Hull City and Hull FC.

The facilities were built by the council and are still owned by the authority, but are managed by SMC which is run by Assem Allam and his son Ehab Allam, the owners of Hull City.

The football club installed the pitch for use by its youth team and claimed it was required to improve its academy rating under FA guidelines.

The authority applied for an injunction after writing to SMC asking the firm to remove the pitch, stating it had breached its lease agreement.

Following a hearing at Leeds Combined Court, Judge John Behrens concluded "there is no breach of covenant and the claim for an injunction fails".

The judge heard 12 community sports groups were using the arena before the 3G pitch was installed.

He stated: "Whilst SMC is willing to place a hard cover on the 3G Surface for major events it will not do so for the ordinary day-to-day use of the [arena] for those sports."

The council responded: "Protecting the established community use of the Airco Arena was morally the right action.

"The court has applied a strict legal interpretation of a lease that was drafted some 12 years ago."

SMC claimed the legal bill would cost taxpayers in excess of £115,000.