Cases - Hunter v Canary Wharf Ltd

Record details

Name
Hunter v Canary Wharf Ltd
Date
[1996]; [1997]
Citation
1 AII ER 482, CA; 2 AII ER 426, HL
Legislation
Keywords
Planning control - easements
Summary

Local residents brought actions in the tort of nuisance for interference with television reception caused by the 250-metre-high Canary Wharf tower. Canary Wharf Ltd submitted that the grant of planning permission authorised the construction and provided immunity from an action in nuisance. The Court of Appeal rejected this defence and the matter of planning permission was not raised before the House of Lords. However, Lord Hoffmann reinforced the Court of Appeal's decision, saying:

'It would, I think, be wrong to allow the private rights of third parties to be taken away by a permission granted by the planning authority to the developer.'

(The interference was held not to be an actionable nuisance.)