A COUNCIL is facing a race against time to get the goahead for controversial plans to demolish a dangerous eyesore.

Stockton Borough Council says the former ICI headquarters, in Billingham, is in desperate need of demolition, but it is involved in a legal battle with owners Bizzy B Management, which believes it should be redeveloped.

Hundreds of thousands of pounds in funding for the demolition project for Billingham House has been promised by regional development agency One North East.

However, the body is due to be abolished by the end of the year.

In the latest of a series of hearings at London’s High Court yesterday, Clive Sheldon QC, for the council, said that funding is at risk if the 16-week demolition contract is not completed by December 16. He told the judge that work must start on the huge job of reducing the landmark to rubble by August 29 at the latest.

Bizzy B, which says the land alone is worth £1.2m, is mounting a wide-ranging attack on the council’s decision to demolish the building, but the case was adjourned after new developments came to light.

Gerard Clarke, representing Bizzy B, said the council had performed a U-turn after initially saying it did not require planning permission for the demolition.

However, a planning application has now been submitted and is due to be heard by the council’s planning committee on Wednesday, June 29.

Mr Clarke said that although refusal is “notionally possible”, Bizzy B would be “very surprised” if permission to press on with the demolition was not granted.

Mr Justice Lindblom said Stockton Borough Council would have to consider arguments from all sides.

Mr Sheldon said Bizzy B had challenged every step of the process and the council took “the pragmatic view”

that the case must be adjourned until after the June 29 planning committee meeting.

Referring to the “already somewhat tortuous history”

of the case, Mr Justice Lindblom set tight deadlines for exchange of evidence so that Bizzy B’s challenge to the planning permission – if granted – can be heard at the High Court before the August 29 deadline.

A two-day hearing will take place, starting on Wednesday, August 17.