TAXPAYERS in York have been landed with a six-figure bill, after council leaders lost their lengthy legal battle over noise on the city’s outskirts.

Elvington Park Ltd (EPL) and City of York Council have been locked in a bitter wrangle for more than four years, over the testing of Formula 1 cars on Elvington Airfield.

The council had issued noise abatement orders against the firm, but after an eight-day hearing, a High Court judge yesterday ruled that those orders were invalid, as they did not tell the company what actions to take to reduce the disturbance.

The blunder cost the council the case, and means it must pay its own and the company’s legal costs. An EPL spokesman said the costs would run into hundreds of thousands of pounds on each side.

It must also go back to square one in its attempts to end the row between EPL and local residents.

Mr Justice Silber said: “If an abatement notice requires not merely abatement of noise, but also steps to be taken, they should be specified.

“But if, as in the present case, the notices did not do so, they are invalid.”

The judge said: “I can understand why those who live close to the airfield will be disappointed. This conclusion means that the council will have to consider serving new abatement notices.”

A spokesman for EPL said: “Elvington feels that it has been reasonable throughout this process and that the council has acted unreasonably and not in the best interests of the majority of people who live in the area.

“EPL has taken considerable steps, through its noise management plan, to address the concerns of the few who remain opposed to any use of the airfield.”

Mike Southcombe, the council’s environmental protection manager, said: “We are very disappointed at the High Court’s decision.

“However, we are encouraged that we were right to serve a notice, as a noise nuisance existed.

“Our aim now will be to work with the airfield owners and local residents to ensure that the residents no longer experience a noise nuisance.”

Ian Bailey, chairman of Elvington Parish Council, said: “I am surprised and I am very disappointed for those residents who are particularly affected by the noise.

“I hope the council can come to an agreement with EPL regarding reasonable activities on the airfield.”

Mr Justice Silber urged the two parties to try to seek mediation, rather than going through legal proceedings again.

Last year, there was a separate dispute between the council and EPL, over the latter’s plans to expand the airfield’s capacity, but that plan was thrown out by a planning inspector.