LEGAL costs totalling up to £100,000 could be ordered against Cheshire West and Chester Council after it lost a High Court battle.

Ardagh Glass challenged the new council, which inherited the situation, after rival firm Quinn Glass was allowed to build a bottling plant at Elton without planning consent.

Ardagh successfully argued the council should take enforcement action against Quinn.

Costs awarded to Ardagh are yet to be finalised with a ruling pending over another aspect of the case which could see costs flowing in the other direction.

Ardagh finance director Keith Swindell said: “It is disappointing that it required legal action to prompt the council into addressing the unacceptable situation at Elton.

“It will also be disappointing to the local taxpayers that, once again, the council has needlessly incurred thousands of pounds of costs as a result of not taking the right actions at the right times.”

Council spokesman Ian Callister said: “Costs have been awarded in respect of the first part but have not yet been settled relating to the second matter, now before the Court for Appeal.”