Tort Law - Nuisance Flashcards
Act on statutory nuisance
Environmental Protection Act 1990
What Part of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 allows a local authority to take enforcement action?
Part III
Part III Environmental Protection Act 1990
local authority can take enforcement action against a person whose premises are in a condition prejudicial to health
local authority can take enforcement action against a person whose premises are in a condition prejudicial to health
Part III Environmental Protection Act 1990
What is public nuisance a broad principle of?
Criminal liability
What is public nuisance based on?
An unlawful act or omission which endangers the life, safety, health, property or comfort of the public
An unlawful act or omission which endangers the life, safety, health, property or comfort of the public is the definition of what
Public nuisance
Who needs to be affected for a public nuisance claim?
A class of the public
Who typically brings public nuisance prosecution?
AG
When can an individual bring a civil claim for public nuisance?
If they have suffered damage above and beyond that suffered by the ordinary individual
If an individual brings a civil claim for public nuisance, what is the claim for?
Claim for special damage
AG v PYA Quarries general
Failed to distinguish from private
Failed to distinguish from private
AG v PYA Quarries
AG v PYA Quarries judgment
‘Public’ is a question of fact
What where the two suggested categories of people for public nuisance in AG v PYA Quarries?
Either a neighbourhood or so widespread that it is taken on the responsibility of the community at large
East Dorset DC v Eaglebean general’
‘substantial’
East Dorset DC v Eaglebean judgment
‘Substantial’ number of houses affected = public nuisance
‘Substantial’ number of houses affected = public nuisance
East Dorset DC v Eaglebean
In re Corby Group Litigation general
De-contamination, disabled
De-contamination, disabled
In re Corby Group Litigation
In re Corby Group Litigation judgment
Public nuisance is not limited to damage to the land
What case showed public nuisance is not limited to damage to the land?
In re Corby Group Litigation
What is the primary penalty for public nuisance?
A fine
What is also possible as a penalty for public nuisance, apart from a fine?
An injunction
Why does public nuisance have more advantages than private nuisance claim?
Wider range of recoverable losses
Tate & Lyle v GLC general
Ferry terminals, silt, jetty
Ferry terminals, silt, jetty
Tate & Lyle v GLC
Tate & Lyle v GLC judgment
Mere obstruction of public navigation meant no private nuisance, but allowed public nuisance
What gave special damage and thus locus standi for individual to bring a claim in Tate & Lyle v GLC?
Cost of dredging
What two possible remedies can C claim in private nuisance?
Damages or injunction
Hunter v Canary Wharf general
TV signal and dust
What case shows only those with exclusive possession can bring a private nuisance claim?
Hunter v Canary Wharf
Hunter v Canary Wharf judgment on locus standi for private nuisance
only those with exclusive possession can bring a private nuisance claim
TV signal and dust
Hunter v Canary Wharf
What judge in the minority referred to the UN Convention on Rights of the Child in Hunter v Canary Wharf?
Lord Cooke
Why did Lord Cooke dissent in Hunter?
Should think broadly on who can sue in nuisance, anxious about discriminating against those without property interests
What judge in what case was anxious about private nuisance discriminating against those without property interests?
Lord Cooke in Hunter
What case shows that private nuisance is a tort against LAND?
Hunter
What judge in what case emphasised how, although private nuisance must related to land, we should think about damage to the AMENITY value of the land?
Lord Hoffmann in Hunter
Two cases on reasonable user for private N
Hunter; Bridlington Relay v Yorkshire Electricity Board
Hunter v Canary Wharf on reasonable user
TV claim failed because D, as a matter of law, could put up the building
Why did the judges suggest in Hunter that in other circumstances TV claim might succeed?
TV use now ordinary and part of daily life
What case can Hunter be contrasted with on reasonable user?
Bridlington Relay v Yorkshire Electricity Board
Bridlington Relay v Yorkshire Electricity Board general
TV signal interference
Bridlington Relay v Yorkshire Electricity Board judgment
TV purely recreational so not important enough to count as nuisance
What case enforces the importance of locality to determine reasonable user for private nuisance?
St Helen’s Smelting v Tipping
St Helen’s Smelting v Tipping general
Smelting factory damaging garden
Smelting factory damaging garden
St Helen’s Smelting v Tipping
St Helen’s Smelting v Tipping judgment
Locality irrelevant for physical injury but relevant if ‘sensible personal discomfort’
What is an advantage of St Helen’s Smelting v Tipping?
Considers public interest, e.g. inconvenience is necessary for town benefit
What case doubts the decision in St Helen’s Smelting v Tipping?
Hunter
How does Hunter cast doubt on St Helen’s Smelting v Tipping?
Both physical injury and loss of amenity amounted to a property interest interference, so same test (e.g. locality) should apply to both
What case suggested both physical injury and loss of amenity amount to a property interest interference?
Hunter
Sturges v Bridgman general
Belgrave Square
Surges v Bridgman judgment on locality
‘what is a nuisance in Belgrave Square is not necessarily a nuisance in Bermondsey’
‘what is a nuisance in Belgrave Square is not necessarily a nuisance in Bermondsey’
Sturges v Bridgman
What case affirmed St Helen’s?
Sturges v Bridgman
Lawrence v Fen Tigers Ltd general
Car and bike racing
Car and bike racing
Lawrence v Fen Tigers Ltd
Lawrence v Fen Tigers Ltd judgment on locality
Look at established pattern of use rather than monochrome categorisation of localities
What case was critical of the basic distinction between a residential or industrial locality?
Lawrence v Fen Tigers Ltd
Haley v Esso Petroleum general
Immunity
Haley v Esso Petroleum judgment
Suitable activity for locality is not an immunity
What case enforced that suitable activity for locality is not an immunity?
Haley v Esso Petroleum
What case gives the basic position on coming to the nuisance for private N?
Sturges v Bridgman
Sturges v Bridgman on coming to the nuisance
Irrelevant who was there first
Lawrence v Fen Tigers on coming to the nuisance
Per Lord Neuberger, may be different if new occupier changes the use of the land
In what case did what judge suggest the basic rule on coming to the nuisance may be different?
Lawrence v Fen Tigers, per Lord Neuberger
Lord Neuberger in Lawrence v Fen Tigers
Basic rule on coming to the nuisance may be different if new occupier changes the use of the land
Miller v Jackson general
Cricket club
Cricket club
Miller v Jackson
Miller v Jackson judgment
Irrelevant if cricket grounds there first - coming to the nuisance test for private N
What was the award in Miller v Jackson?
No injunction, just damages
Khorasandjian v Bush general
Nuisance PHA
Khorasandjian v Bush judgment
Threw doubt on requirement of nuisance of being a tort against land - called it ‘ridiculous’
Nuisance PHA
Khorasandjian v Bush
What case confirmed the need for nuisance to be against land?
Hunter v Canary Wharf
Lord Hoffmann in Hunter on tort against land
Nuisance not for personal discomfort but injury to land, so that utility is diminished by the nuisance
Nolan on tort against land
PN is a property tort no there is no protection of personal interests
Robinson v Kilvert general
Brown paper, heat
Brown paper, heat
Robinson v Kilvert
Robinson v Kilvert judgment
Extraordinary and sensitive use can’t be considered
Network Rail v Morris general
Amplifiers and signalling
Amplifiers
Network Rail v Morris
Network Rail v Morris judgment
Look to reasonableness and foreseeability when determining relevance of sensitivity - very vague language
What case shows a retreat from Robinson v Kilvert?
Network Rail v Morris
Who regards malice as having dubious value in nuisance?
Gearty
Christie v Davey general
Music teacher
Music teacher
Christie v Davey
Hollywood Silver Fox v Emmett general
Vixens
Hollywood Silver Fox v Emmett judgment
Motive can make an otherwise lawful act a nuisance
Motive can make an otherwise lawful act a nuisance
Hollywood Silver Fox v Emmott