Immigration and asylum cases, challenges to decisions by government or public bodies can now be heard in four new courts

Sir Anthony May, President of the Queen's Bench Division Frances Gibb 

London is the legal capital and many big disputes can only be heard in its courts. But from this month hundreds of immigration and asylum cases and challenges to decisions by government or public bodies will be devolved to the regions as four Administrative Court centres open in Birmingham, Cardiff, Leeds and Manchester.

Two High Court judges, Mr Justice Beatson and Mr Justice Langstaff, will be responsible for liaising with the centres. The judge behind the change - and now in charge - is Sir Anthony May, President of the Queen's Bench Division. The reform, he says, will ease the hugely overburdened Administrative Court in London, as it struggles with the caseload that required extra judges for its 8,000 asylum and immigration cases a year.

The move is not just a pragmatic one. "It is also that it is right, in itself, for these cases to be heard locally," May says. "The important thing is that claimants based in the regions will be able to have their cases dealt with at the centre that they regard as most convenient, instructing - if they wish - lawyers also based in the region." Many public authorities, which are potentially defendants in such claims, also favour the move.

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