A top solicitor advocate has been drafted in to assist legal eagle Alasdair Sutherland as the courtroom showdown over Aberdeen's controversial bus gates looms.
Businesses and individuals rallied behind veteran retailer Normal Esslemont's crowdfunder to take Aberdeen City Council to court and challenge its implementation of a series of traffic measures across the city centre.
Ahead of the court dates next month, Mr Esslemont shared an update on the case and revealed Alastair Burnet KC has been recruited.
The leading silk, who has worked with Alasdair Sutherland on other cases, has appeared in the UK Supreme Court, the Inner and Outer House of the Court of Session, the Sheriff Court, Land Court and Lands Tribunal.
In particular, he has acted in planning appeals and property litigation in relation to housing developments, wind farms, supermarket retailing applications and challenges to Local Development Plans and planning obligation
Mr Esslemont said: "Last week I contacted Alasdair Sutherland, our lawyer in the bus gates appeal for an update, prior to our court dates on 11 and 12 November, to discover that everything is progressing well, the final pieces of procedural paper work having now been submitted.
"My confidence in our lawyer has only increased over the past few months.
"During this time I have witnessed the thoroughness in which he drills down into the precise details of the case and its legal niceties, supported by his very able colleague, Colin Dalgarno from Aberdeen, who is equally committed to ensuring that it will not be through lack of due diligence that the appeal doesn’t reach a successful conclusion.
"Alasdair has taken the decision to engage Alasdair Burnet KC to assist him in the appeal, having worked with him before on the Eastgate Shopping Centre court case versus Highland Council.
"It is only thanks to the generous funding of the business community and general public that we have been able to engage this additional support to give us the best chance of success.
"Having booked my accommodation in Edinburgh for the court dates, I look forward to witnessing how the legal system will deal with an intriguing case which has aroused so much interest and controversy in our beloved city."
Mr Esslemont's crowdfunding campaign topped £65,000 earlier this year as the city showed overwhelming support for the challenge.
In May, it was reported that the council could be forced to refund more than £1million in bus gate fines if the scheme is overturned in court.