Neighbour trouble
Some neighbours are friendlier than others.
In the recent case of Bramwell & Anr v Robinson, an equestrian couple who were harassed by a farmer who flouted their right of way across his land, won an injunction and thousands of pounds in damages.
The couple ran an equestrian centre and riding school from their home, which was accessed along a track, most of which crossed the farmer’s land. He had embarked upon a campaign to make their exercise of their right of way as inconvenient as possible. That included erecting three gates along the track, insisting that two of them remain shut at all times, and putting more than a dozen speed bumps in place.
The farmer argued that the couple had made excessive use of the right of way, that the volume of traffic using the track had greatly increased since their arrival in the area and that their visitors, sometimes driving heavy lorries, tended to speed along the track at anti-social hours with loud music blaring.
In ruling on the dispute, a judge concluded that the couple’s right of way was confined largely to the track itself and did not include its verges.
However, he found that the farmer had jumped out at their visitors and behaved aggressively towards them. He had deliberately driven his tractor at very low speed along the track, effectively blocking it, and his insistence that the gates remain permanently shut was an 'example of cussedness'.
In issuing the injunction to prevent further harassment of the couple or their visitors, the judge found that the farmer’s behaviour had been totally unacceptable and unreasonable. He was, amongst other things, ordered to remove all but five of the speed bumps and to keep the gates open, save in emergencies.
He was also ordered to pay the couple £4,800 in damages, primarily to compensate them for the inconvenience, stress and anxiety that he had caused them.
You can read the original article here.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
Featured articles and news
Boiler Upgrade Scheme and certifications consultation
Summary of government consultation which closes 11 June 2025.
Deputy editor of AT, Tim Fraser, discusses the newly formed society with its current chair, Chris Halligan MCIAT.
Barratt Lo-E passivhaus standard homes planned enmasse
With an initial 728 Lo-E homes across two sites and many more planned for the future.
Government urged to uphold Warm Homes commitment
ECA and industry bodies write to Government concerning its 13.2 billion Warm Homes manifesto commitment.
Places of Worship in Britain and Ireland, 1929-1990. Book review.
The emancipation of women in art.
CIOB Construction Manager of the Year 2025
Just one of the winners at the CIOB Awards 2025.
Call for independent National Grenfell oversight mechanism
MHCLG share findings of Building Safety Inquiry in letter to Secretary of State and Minister for Building Safety.
The Architectural Technology Awards
AT Awards now open for this the sixth decade of CIAT.
50th Golden anniversary ECA Edmundson awards
Deadline for submissions Friday 30 May 2025.
The benefits of precast, off-site foundation systems
Top ten benefits of this notable innovation.
Encouraging individuals to take action saving water at home, work, and in their communities.
Takes a community to support mental health and wellbeing
The why of becoming a Mental Health Instructor explained.
Mental health awareness week 13-18 May
The theme is communities, they can provide a sense of belonging, safety, support in hard times, and a sense purpose.
Mental health support on the rise but workers still struggling
CIOB Understanding Mental Health in the Built Environment 2025 shows.
Design and construction material libraries
Material, sample, product or detail libraries a key component of any architectural design practice.
Construction Products Reform Green Paper and Consultation
Still time to respond as consultation closes on 21 May 2025.
Resilient façade systems for smog reduction in Shanghai
A technical approach using computer simulation and analysis of solar radiation, wind patterns, and ventilation.