Montpellier Estates has filed a claim for deceit against Leeds City Council (LCC) with regards to the procurement of a new entertainment arena for the city.

The claim - lodged with London's High Court - follows the council's decision to build the new Leeds Arena venue itself, despite holding a procurement process for the scheme. According to Montpellier Estates, LCC were exploring alternative options for the project in October 2007 - only a couple of months after launching the process.

Tenders were submitted in September 2008, and the Harrogate-based developer argues the council failed to inform bidders of its intentions under European law. Montpellier Estates chair Jan Fletcher said: "I have spent two years trying to work with Leeds City Council to find a solution to this claim, but we have now exhausted all options."

LCC announced in November 2008 that it would develop the Populous-designed arena at Claypit Lane, a site that Montpellier said had been dismissed in a feasibility study. A spokesperson for LCC said: "We consider this to be an entirely desperate and vexatious claim."

Image: Populous