When rival developers target the same geographical area, local planners can often find themselves the focus of legal fireworks. That came to pass when competing plans were put forward to build large retail food outlets
Nature must sometimes make way for human needs, as was clearly illustrated by a Court of Appeal case in which business-friendly developments in an economically deprived area were given the green light despite concerns for
The need for more new homes is acute but whether developers get the green light to build can often depend on whether local authorities have made adequate plans for future supplies of housing land. The
Neighbourhood development plans (NDPs) have excited much controversy since their introduction by the Localism Act 2011 and a case in which a disappointed housebuilder complained that its land had not been allocated for development was
In an age of housing scarcity, local authorities face an uphill struggle in contesting home-building proposals, however controversial they may be. In one case, a city council failed to block plans for 120 new homes
The courts often employ the concept of ‘commercial common sense’ in interpreting ambiguous or poorly drafted contracts – but that does not mean that they will relieve the unwise of the consequences of their bad
Buying and selling land can be a complex business, particularly when it comes to rights of way, and conveyancing is always best left to the professionals. In one case, a couple paid £17,000 for a
When considering housing needs, it is the here and now that is in point, not the past history. That was the conclusion of the Supreme Court when determining whether a woman who was homeless was
In a case which underlined the priority being given by planners to renewable energy sources, proposals for a solar energy park – comprising almost 54,000 photovoltaic panels on agricultural moorland – have been approved by
Property managers who fail to fairly consult residential tenants before embarking on major renovation projects can be blocked from recovering the cost of such works through service charges and can end up carrying the financial
