The BMI case was brought by Durham Tees Valley Airport Limited, part of the Peel Airports Group. Durham Tees Valley Airport Limited is owned 75% by Peel Airports Group and 25% by the Local Authorities (or it was 25% before the dilution exercise - presumably with the sale this isn't going ahead?). As stated above the Peel Airports Group is owned 65% by Vancouver Airport Services (now Vantage Airport Group) and 35% by Peel Holdings.
As the main business of Peel is property development (e.g. their behind the MediaCity development in Salford as well as many others), I would imagine their better able to deal with any compulsory purchase order type approach than your average pig farmer...