On 12 April 1989, the plaintiffs commenced this action against the defendants for the following reliefs:

(1) A declaration that the first defendant has no power under the HUDC Housing Estates Act (Cap 131) ('the HUDC Act') to impose a levy on vehicles entering Chancery Court; alternatively, a declaration that the first defendant has acted unlawfully in imposing such a levy as such action amounts to private nuisance against the plaintiffs or, alternatively, unlawful interference with the plaintiffs' trade in that the first defendant's members did not approve the imposition of such levy and/or the first defendant's action caused the Housing & Development Board ('the HDB') to breach its tenancy agreement dated 7 October 1985 with the plaintiffs ('the HDB tenancy agreement').

(2) A declaration that the second to the thirteenth defendants as the management committee of the first defendant have no power under the HUDC Act either individually or collectively to impose the said levy; alternatively, a declaration that the said members of the management committee either individually or collectively have acted unlawfully in imposing the said levy as the action amounts to priv