Taxpayers face footing a legal bill of up to £100,000 unless a non-local firm scraps its petition against the closure of Colchester's historic port.

A bill is currently going through Parliament to close Colchester's historic port by 2001.

No objections were raised by two firms currently using the port, and deals with them are being finalised.

But now a petition against plans to close the 2,000-year-old has been lodged by PB Forestry Lands, which is based outside Essex.

This week senior officers at Colchester Council will meet with the firm's lawyers in a bid to get them to back down.

If they fail, the council will have to go before an "opposed committee" in the House of Lords, which will cost local taxpayers a lot of money.

Graham White, director of administration at Colchester Council, said: "We did not know of these people until they came up with this petition. To proceed with it will cost a lot of money, and if we have to go to an opposed committee in the House of Lords it will cost between £50,000 and £100,000.

"We would have to get all the experts we have consulted with about the plans in."

Terry Sutton, council portfolio holder for transport, said: "I know there have been been some goings-on but it seems a frivolous claim."

Eliza O'Toole, a solicitor representing PB Forestry Lands, said: "We submitted the objection on behalf of our clients because of the tight timescales imposed as part of the parliamentary process involved in the closing of the harbour, and because our clients have enjoyed use of the wharfage facilities fronting its land as part of its business for very many years and these will be removed by the proposed Bill."

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