JAMES AND OTHERS v. THE UNITED KINGDOM JUGDMENT 3 8. The hearings were held in public at the Human Rights Building, Strasbourg, on 23 and 24 September 1985. Immediately before they opened, the Court had held a preparatory meeting. During the hearings, the Government and the applicants filed written answers to questions put by the Court. There appeared before the Court: - for the Government Mr. M. EATON, Legal Counsellor, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Agent, Mr. R. ALEXANDER, Q.C., Mr. N. BRATZA, Barrister-at-Law, Counsel, Mr. J. CANE, Department of the Environment, Ms. D. PHILLIPS, Department of the Environment, Advisers; - for the Commission Mr. Gaukur JÖRUNDSSON, Delegate; - for the applicants The Hon. Michael BELOFF, Q.C., Mr. F. JACOBS, Q.C., Mr. D. NEUBERGER, Counsel, Mr. T. Seager BERRY, Mr. P. HOWCROFT, Solicitors, Mr. H. KIDD, Adviser. 9. The Court heard addresses by Mr. Alexander for the Government, by Mr. Gaukur Jörundsson for the Commission and by Mr. Beloff for the applicants, as well as their replies to its questions. The applicants subsequently completed in writing their replies, in a document filed at the registry on 13 November 1985. The Government submitted written comments on these replies on 10 January 1986. AS TO THE FACTS A. Introduction 10. The applicants are or were trustees acting under the Will of the Second Duke of Westminster. The first applicant, John Nigel Courtenay James, is a chartered surveyor resident in London. The second applicant, Gerald Cavendish the Sixth Duke of Westminster, resides at Chester. The third applicant, Patrick Geoffrey Corbett, is a chartered accountant resident in Sussex. The fourth applicant, Sir Richard Baker Wilbraham, is a banker in London. The fourth applicant was appointed as trustee on 31 December 1981 in place of the third applicant, who retired.