A public car park in Witham faces an uncertain future in a wrangle over ownership.

Braintree Council, which has run the Newland Street car park for more than 30 years, has been ordered to quit the land by the proprietor, Neighbourhood Retail Ltd Partnership, which wants to run the car park as part of its revamp of Newlands Precinct.

But the council is claiming squatter's rights and has served a writ on the Partnership claiming to be the legal owner of the land.

The civil action argues that a company called MRCE Investments Ltd originally granted the former Witham Urban District Council the right to use the land in 1967.

It says the agreement did not include rent or a lease and the council has been running the car park ever since.

Braintree Council says it tried for a formal lease in 1971 but negotiations were never completed.

Ownership changed hands from MRCE to Neighbourhood Retail in 1998. The company served the council with a notice to quit in February.

Braintree Council spokesman Chris Trim said: "We were served a notice saying the council had to cease using the car park.

"So we are serving a counter-claim which is likely to end up in the High Court."

Partnership manager Neville Patterson said the company would not comment while the issue is being resolved. No date has been fixed for the hearing.

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