PHILIPSBURG--The Court of First Instance on Monday declared St. Maarten Harbour Holding Company N.V. (SMH) inadmissible in its appeal against the Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI and Dock Maarten N.V. concerning a building permit for the expansion of the marina in Great Bay.

 

“The Court has declared the Holding non-admissible, in essence because the appeal was submitted too late,” attorney-at-law Roeland Zwanikken of BZSE law office explained.

 

This is the third time the Harbour Holding has lost legal proceedings against Dock Maarten’s expansion. Earlier this month, the Harbour Holding Company also failed to put a halt to plans of Dock Maarten to construct a marina with a pier to accommodate ultra- and giga-yachts with lengths exceeding 100 metres. An injunction which was filed in November 2014, met the same fate.

 

In the latest case, SMH pointed its arrows at the building permit to “construct a rock revetment...located at Juancho Yrausquin Blvd. 26, Philipsburg Great Bay,” which was obtained by Dock Maarten on July 21, 2014.

 

SMH is against the construction of a newly to be developed harbour facility in what it holds for its concession area of Great Bay.

 

According to the law, appeals against permits must be submitted within six weeks. SMH, which was represented in this case by attorneys Chris van Amersfoort, Eric de Vries and Marcha Woudstra of HBN Law, has objections against the permit, which it concerns in contravention of the Building and Housing Ordinance and the “general principles of law.”

 

The Harbour Holding Company stated it had not learned of the permit any sooner than November 26, 2014, and, therefore should have been granted extra time to respond. It filed for appeal on December 8, 2014.

The Court did not follow the Harbour in this position, as Dock Maarten had informed SMH about the permit by letter of October 22, 2014. The Judge was not impressed by SMH’s statement that the company had been under the impression that Dock Maarten had been “bluffing,” and said this was no excuse for the delay.

 

The Daily Herald

 

Related articles:

- Harbour loses second court case against Dock Maarten

- Court to decide on SHHC appeal against Dock Maarten in October

- Harbour fails to halt construction of Dock Maarten ultra-yacht pier

 

 

In this case Roeland Zwanikken, and Norbert Hijmans, of BZSE Attorneys at Law represented Dock Maarten. The St. Maarten Harbour Holding Company was represented by attorneys Eric de Vries, Chris van Amersfoort and Marcha Woudstra of HBN Law. Attorney Richard Gibson Jr. of Gibson & Associates acted on behalf of VROMI.