October 2003: Hartlepool Borough Council meet to discuss planning permission. But the Environment Agency rules there are no valid licences in place.

November 2003: The first of four ghost ships docks in Hartlepool

December 2003: The High Court rules that Able UK does not have the necessary permissions in place and the company is told to re-apply.
January 2004: Able UK submits new plans for the dismantling of the ships.

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May 2005: The Environment Agency objects to Able UK's new application.

June 2006: Environment Agency does a U-turn and English Nature follows suit, meaning there are no statutory objectors.

September 2006: A report to the council's planning committee recommends the plans be given the go-ahead.

October 2006: The planning committee rejects Able UK's application but the company appeal.

June 2007: The council decides not to contest Able's appeal, meaning it is now a formality for the company's proposals to be approved.

October 5, 2007: Councillors defer the decision to grant Able UK permission.

October 9, 2007: A three-week Planning Inspectorate hearing starts in Hartlepool. It was lodged by Able UK following the council's rejection of its plans.

October 26, 2007: The council's planning committee give Able UK the green light to dismantle the controversial ghost ships.

November 2007: Lawyers representing Able UK submit an application to claw back the full costs of the planning inquiry.

May 8, 2008: Able UK wins its legal challenge to scrap the ghost ships, leaving taxpayers to possibly pick up the £1m bill.

May 2008: Able UK applies to the Health and Safety Executive for an exemption to allow it to bring in a French ship containing 700 tonnes of asbestos.

June 26, 2008: The Environment Agency grants Able UK a waste management licence. The HSE grants an exemption allowing the company to bring in an asbestos contaminated ship.