Tate Modern and apartment owners in court

Owners of luxury property in central London have won a victory in the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom in a suit against the gallery of modern art Tate Modern, because of the observation deck, which went directly to their apartments. This is stated in a statement issued by The Supreme Court on Wednesday, after a hearing of the case held in early December last year.

The reason for the lawsuit against the gallery was an observation deck set up in 2016. It offered an excellent view not only of London, but also of the apartments of the luxury high-rise across the street. The situation of apartment owners was worsened by floor-to-ceiling glass walls, which only improved the view for tens of thousands of visitors to the gallery. Tate management in response to complaints said that buyers of apartments were aware of the plans to open observation deck and advised them to hang curtains.

The High Court of London and the London Court of Appeal upheld the gallery in the dispute. However, the owners of the apartments, the current value of which is estimated at about 3.4 million, appealed to the Supreme Court. He and delivered a verdict in their favor, six years after the beginning of the proceedings, the ratio of three votes against two.

As Supreme Court Justice George Leggatt ruled, the owners of these apartments "are not required to keep their curtains closed all day and their blinds down."

"Our clients now look forward to working with Tate as valued neighbors to find a practical solution that protects all of their interests," said an attorney with the Fosters Law firm, which acted on behalf of the plaintiffs.