CF also have this very handy timeline:CoasterForce wrote:ALTON TOWERS, STAFFORDSHIRE, UK
Yesterday (2nd May 2012), Alton Towers lost a court hearing to overturn a decision to allow the local couple Mr & Mrs Roper to take their "noise complaint" to the high courts.
This means that Mr and Mrs Roper will now have a full high court hearing over their complaint about the noise levels coming from the theme park.
If they succeed in their high court case, they could force Alton Towers to either relocate, or even remove rides that are deemed too noisy.
If they lose the case, the financial impact on the couple could be horrendous. Click Read More for a rough time-line of events.
Time-line of Alton Towers'/Roper dispute:
1811 - Major construction on site - Alton Towers is essentially born.
Circa 1890 - Alton Towers opened for the first time as a tourist attraction.
1968 - Mr & Mrs Roper move in to their home in Farley.
Circa 1970 - Rides added to Alton Towers line-up.
1980 - John Broome installs Corkscrew and Alton Towers is reborn as the UK's premier theme park.
1998 - After some years of complaints to the local council, the Ropers start to look at what legal recourse is available.
2002 - Official legal battle begins.
2004 - Ropers win a civil claim against the park - held off whole they pursued criminal action.
2007 - Noise abatement order sought. Fireworks reduced (and then cancelled). "Don't look down" announcement removed from Oblivion.
2008 - Civil claim pursued as criminal case caught up in ownership issues.
January 2011 - Civil claim for injunction and damages (going back to 1998) thrown out of court.
November 2011 - Court allows for Ropers to appeal and pursue in the high courts - Alton Towers appeals this decision.
May 2012 - Alton Towers' appeal is overturned and the case can now be taken further with the high court. Mr & Mrs Roper pursuing strong injunction that rides compromise planning permission with regards to noise, and damages. If successful, rides breaching planning permission could be forced to close or be moved.