City council to restart process of renaming street after legal challenge

Plymouth City Council has had to withdraw proposals to rename a square after a legal challenge, and will now restart the process.

It had wanted to rename Sir John Hawkins Square as Justice Square, following controversy in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement over former city mayor Hawkins’ record in the slave trade.

A council statement said the process of renaming started in November 2023, with a notice under the Public Health Act 1925, but a court appeal was lodged that was due to be heard in September.

It went on: “However, since the council began the process, a new law for the renaming of streets has come into effect and since there is no provision in that law for processes that have already started, in order to be compliant, we must start again.” The appeal was cancelled as academic.

Richard Harwood KC, of 39 Essex Chambers, who acted for appellant Jill Henry, said: “The current proposal to rename Sir John Hawkins Square in Plymouth to Justice Square has been abandoned, partway through a Magistrates Court appeal.

“The council had published its intention to make the renaming order under the Public Health Act 1925 but that power had been replaced by the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 before the order was made. The council would have to meet the 2023 Act requirements on public support if it wished to change the name.”

Mr Harwood said the council had agreed to pay Ms Henry’s legal costs.

Mark Smulian