A developer has won the right to build in open countryside despite opposition from the local planning authority. The case involved developer George Barlow and Cheshire East Council. Barlow had applied for planning permission to build 10 houses on open land. The authority failed to make a decision within the prescribed period, so Barlow appealed.
A wealthy businessman has left millions to the charity Oxfam after inserting a common tragedy clause into his will. Richard Cousins died along with his two sons, his fiancé and her daughter when their plane crashed in Australia on New Year’s Eve. Mr Cousins, who was the chief executive of the Compass Group, had made
There has been a huge rise in the number of couples citing “unreasonable behaviour” as grounds for obtaining a quick divorce. Researchers at Oxford University found that the number of divorces granted to wives because of unreasonable behaviour rose from 17% in 1971 to 51% in 2016. The increase was even sharper for husbands, rising
More than 120,000 first-time home buyers have saved a total of £284m because of the cuts to stamp duty introduced last November, according to government figures. The first £300,000 of the price of a property is now exempt from tax for people entering the housing market for the first time. It means that the new
A new law to protect the interests of vulnerable people in care is expected to be in place early next year. The Mental Capacity (Amendment) Bill will replace the current system known as ‘Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards’ (DoLs). DoLs are assessments currently carried out on people who do not have the mental capacity to make
A woman who felt victimised after being accused by her boss of faking anxiety and depression to get a big pay-out has been awarded £8,000 compensation. The case involved Melanie James who started working for Capital Care Service in 2016 as a credit controller. She signed off work sick in March 2017 and was diagnosed
The government is being urged to introduce major changes to divorce laws to reduce the stress and difficulties faced by couples when their marriage breaks down. A private member’s bill put forward by Baroness Butler-Sloss proposes a system of no-fault divorce. It would be the first major change to divorce laws in England and Wales
The High Court has corrected an error in a trust to make it effective and ensure that it provides the intended tax benefits. The case involved the family of a woman who during her lifetime made three settlements of shares. The beneficiaries were her three children, their heirs and four charities. There were four trustees
A mother has lost her appeal to prevent her children being returned to their father in Canada. The courts rejected her argument that such a move would cause her to collapse emotionally. The mother and children had been living with the father in Canada until October 2016. At that point, the mother wrongfully removed the
The government is planning to set up several New Town Development Corporations to build thousands of homes across the country over the next five years. The corporations will be accountable to local councils and be responsible for new towns and garden communities in their area. They will oversee the planning and project development, bringing on