Comply and be damned?
Environmental compliance, although a consideration, will not save you from the common law. The Court of Appeal held in the case of Barr and others v. Biffa Waste Services Ltd [2012] EWCA Civ 312 that it is still possible for … Continue reading
Planning for Travellers
With the launch of the National Planning Policy Framework last week the governments new policy guidance on “Planning Policy for Travellers Sites” may have been overlooked. Given the news coverage given to sites such as Dale Farm at Crays Hill … Continue reading
Watch out for listed buildings
It has been announced in the news today that Cheshire is at the heart of a new initiative to help protect historic buildings and monuments. A new study commissioned by English Heritage (http://www NULL.english-heritage NULL.org NULL.uk/) has revealed the true … Continue reading
The National Planning Policy Framework - A Brave New World
The new National Planning Policy Framework was introduced with immediate effect yesterday by Mr Greg Clark MP, the minister for planning. It is claimed that this is a radical new approach to planning and in one move has removed over … Continue reading
Environment Agency sets up new taskforce
The Environment Agency has set up a new taskforce which will tackle illegal waste sites that blight communities. In December 2011, the Environment Agency announced the creation of a “specialist environmental crime taskforce”. The aim of this taskforce will be to … Continue reading
Transfer of Power
“From midnight on 31st December 2011 the remaining functions under the Building Act 1984 pass from the UK Government to Welsh Ministers” The Welsh Ministers (Transfer of Functions) (No. 2) Order 2009 provides that the Welsh Government can now introduce, … Continue reading
Keep Flying the Flag
I just thought I would run this up the flagpole… Notwithstanding the current economic issues gripping Europe and pretty much the rest of the known world, the lack of new development and construction projects across the UK and the current … Continue reading
Whose drain is it anyway (or is that a lateral connection)?
The answer to that question may be found in the excitingly titled The Water Industry (Schemes for Adoption of Private Sewers) Regulations 2011 which came into force on the 1st July 2011. Many drains and associated drainage schemes in England … Continue reading
DEFRA consultation – Village Greens
Defra have recently issued a consultation document considering reforms to the village green registration process currently set out in the Commons Act 2006. The consultation closes on 17 October. Village greens have rarely been out of the news in recent … Continue reading
Village Greens – Don’t Forget Your Life Jacket…
Long gone are the days when village greens were nothing more than a pleasant, usually well tended, public open space enjoyed by a village or local community for occasional fetes, the village sports day and the odd game of football … Continue reading
Community Infrastructure Levy – the saga continues
Since the necessary regulations were brought into force by the previous government in April 2010 there has been very little apparent activity at all from local authorities seeking to be the first to put in place a charging schedule setting … Continue reading
Cala Homes (South) Ltd -v- SoSCLG [2010] EWHC 2866
Eric Pickles has been given little opportunity to recover from the decision in the Cala Homes case. Cala Homes have now launched a new legal challenge against the recent letter (10 November 2010) issued by the Chief Planner, Steve Quartermain. … Continue reading