-- Court confirms validity of Section 66 Notice

-- Victoria Stadium demolition and redevelopment can now commence 

The Government has welcomed today’s judgment by the Supreme Court in favour of HMGoG in the case brought by Mr Allan Asquez, owner of VSB Limited, concerning the termination of its tenancy at the Victoria Stadium in the public economic interest. 

A statement continued: “The judgment confirms that the Section 66 mechanism is constitutional, that the S.66 notice issued by His Excellency the Governor was both lawful and appropriate, and that HMGoG has acted lawfully to obtain vacant possession of the Victoria Stadium site in the public economic interest. The judgment upholds HMGoG’s interpretation of the law as publicly outlined since the outset of this matter. 

“HMGoG has always acted reasonably, with goodwill and sought a negotiated outcome without compromising the delivery of a National Stadium. 

“Over the course of negotiations, HMGOG extended multiple settlement offers including compensation for the early termination of the tenancy, a 21-year lease in the new stadium development, and payment for relocation and refurbishment expenses. With a view to avoiding legal proceedings and procuring a settlement of the dispute, these offers exceeded the Claimant’s statutory entitlement of £115,440 and were made in good faith. Unfortunately, the offers were consistently rejected by Mr Asquez whose demands were for more than seventeen times the Claimant’s legal entitlement.

“Today’s judgment is therefore also a vindication of HMGoG acting responsibly and in the best interests of the taxpayer and the wider community. 

“The redevelopment of the Victoria Stadium into a UEFA Category 4 National Stadium is a vital national project that will benefit present and future generations of Gibraltarians. The judgment now clears the way for the Gibraltar Football Association to proceed with the long-awaited redevelopment of the site, with demolition works on the western stand expected to begin later this year.”

The Minister leading on the demolition and redevelopment of the Victoria Stadium, Gemma Arias-Vasquez, said: “I welcome today’s judgment, which confirms that HMGoG has acted constitutionally, appropriately and in the public interest. While we always sought an amicable solution, including a generous compensation offer which exceeded what he was legally entitled to, Mr Asquez’s demand valued at over £2 million was wholly unreasonable and unjustifiable. With this judgment now in place, the GFA can proceed with the process of redeveloping the Victoria Stadium, and we can deliver a world-class facility that will be of benefit to so many generations of Gibraltarians in the future. My thanks go to all those involved in bringing this claim to a fair and rightful conclusion.”