Ramblers love footpaths, but the same cannot be said for landowners concerned to protect their privacy and security. That was certainly so in one case in which homeowners with a high media profile won the right to divert a footpath which crossed their garden within
Complying with planning laws can be expensive and inconvenient, but failing to do so is likely to result in a criminal record and a severe financial penalty. In a case on point, a property owner who simply ignored an enforcement notice requiring him to remove
In an era of ever-increasing demand for new homes, large domestic gardens present a clear opportunity for so-called ‘infill’ development. As one case strikingly showed, however, such projects can be a source of considerable neighbourhood ill-feeling. The case concerned a leafy estate of 44 detached
An Englishman’s home is proverbially his castle, but letting your property fall into an advanced state of disrepair can have serious legal consequences. A householder found that out to his cost when his near-derelict home was compulsorily purchased by a local authority after it became
Objecting to a grant of planning permission is one obvious means of trying to block a development to which you object – but there are others that are less well known. In a case on point, residents of a leafy cul-de-sac saw off a neighbour’s
Balancing the desirability of conservation against the need for more new homes is a constant challenge faced by planning professionals. In a guideline High Court case on point, the illegal demolition of three Victorian cottages in an urban area with exceptionally high housing demand was
So-called squatters’ rights mean that when it comes to land ownership, it really can be a case of use it or lose it. In a case on point, three siblings who let the weeds grow in a field given to them by their father came
Property disputes between former cohabiting couples are sadly familiar, but taking legal advice when love is still blooming can in the long run make all the difference in achieving a swift resolution. A woman who wisely did just that defeated a claim by her ex-partner
Maintaining community facilities in small settlements is obviously important, but that must sometimes take second place to the pressing need for affordable homes. In a case on point, the High Court opened the way for a village pub once frequented by the novelist Evelyn Waugh
Transparency and public consultation are the bulwarks that ensure the fairness of the planning system. However, as a High Court case concerning a social housing development showed, not every lapse in those respects will result in a planning permission being overturned. A social housing provider
