BAILII is celebrating 24 years of free online access to the law! Would you consider making a contribution?
No donation is too small. If every visitor before 31 December gives just Β£1, it will have a significant impact on BAILII's ability to continue providing free access to the law.
Thank you very much for your support!
[Home] [Databases] [World Law] [Multidatabase Search] [Help] [Feedback] | ||
England and Wales Court of Appeal (Civil Division) Decisions |
||
You are here: BAILII >> Databases >> England and Wales Court of Appeal (Civil Division) Decisions >> Taylor & Sons (Farms) v Secretary Of State For The Environment, Transport & Regions [2001] EWCA Civ 1254 (31 July 2001) URL: http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2001/1254.html Cite as: [2002] PLCR 11, [2001] NPC 134, [2001] EWCA Civ 1254 |
[New search] [Printable RTF version] [Help]
2000/3687 |
COURT OF APPEAL (CIVIL DIVISION)
Strand, London, WC2A 2LL Tuesday 31st July 2001 |
||
B e f o r e :
LORD JUSTICE MANCE
and
LORD JUSTICE KEENE
____________________
TAYLOR & SONS (FARMS) |
Appellant |
|
- and - |
||
SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT & REGIONS |
Respondent |
____________________
Smith Bernal Reporting Limited, 190 Fleet Street
London EC4A 2AG
Tel No: 020 7421 4040, Fax No: 020 7831 8838
Official Shorthand Writers to the Court)
Michael GIBBON (instructed by Treasury Solicitor for the Respondent
____________________
Crown Copyright ©
LORD JUSTICE SCHIEMANN: This is the judgment of the Court
The two enforcement notices
"Without planning permission, the change of use of the said land from agricultural use to agricultural use and use for the unauthorised importation and deposit of waste materials including builders rubble, road menders rubble and spoil."
"Without planning permission, the carrying out of engineering or other operations including the laying of a hard surface approximately 50 metres x 30 metres situated in the approximate position marked "A" on the attached plan, and the laying of a track in the approximate position between the points "A" and "B" on the attached plan."
I shall refer to this as the operations appeal.
(i) Cease the importation and deposit of waste materials onto the land
(ii) Remove from the land all waste materials imported and deposited on the land including builders rubble, road menders rubble and spoil
(iii) When all waste materials have been removed from the land restore the land to its former condition as agricultural pasture land before the breach of planning control occurred.
(iv) Remove from the land all plant and machinery which is not associated with the lawful agricultural use of the land.
(i) Stop the carrying out of all engineering or other operations on the land
(ii) Remove from the land the area of hard standing and the track surface, together with all waste and other materials deposited on the land
(iii) Restore the land to its former condition as agricultural pasture land before the breach of planning control occurred
(iv) Remove from the land all plant and machinery which is not associated with the lawful agricultural use of the land.
The grounds of appeal to the Secretary of State
(2) An appeal may be brought on any of the following grounds
(a) that, in respect of any breach of planning control which may be constituted by the matters stated in the notice, planning permission ought to be granted or, as the case may be, the condition or limitation concerned ought to be discharged;
(b) that those matters have not occurred;
(c) that those matter (if they occurred) do not constitute a breach of planning control;
(d) that, at the date when the notice was issued, no enforcement action could be taken in respect of any breach of planning control which may be constituted by those matters;
(e) that copies of the enforcement notice were not served as required by section 172;
(f) that the steps required by the notice to be taken, or the activities required by the notice to cease, exceed what is necessary to remedy any breach of planning control which may be constituted by those matters or, as the case may be, to remedy any injury to amenity which has been caused by any such breach;
(g) that any period specified in the notice in accordance with section 173 (9) falls short of what should reasonably be allowed.
The powers of the Secretary of State
176. (1) On an appeal under section 174 the Secretary of State may
(a) correct any defect, error or misdescription in the enforcement notice; or
(b) vary the terms of the enforcement notice, if he is satisfied that the correction or variation will not cause injustice to the appellant or the local planning authority.
(2) Where the Secretary of State determines to allow the appeal,
he may quash the notice.
The General Permitted Development Order 1995
3.(1) planning permission is hereby granted for the classes of development described as permitted development in Schedule 2.
(2) Any permission granted by paragraph (1) is subject to any relevant exception, limitation or condition specified in Schedule 2
Schedule 2 Part 6
A The carrying out on agricultural land comprised in an agricultural unit of 5 hectares or more in area of
(a) works for the erection, extension or alteration of a building; or
(b) any excavation or engineering operations,
which are reasonably necessary for the purposes of agriculture within that unit.
A.1 Development is not permitted by class A if-
(d) the ground area which would be covered by
(i) any works or structure (other than a fence) for accommodating livestock or any plant or machinery arising from engineering operations; or
(ii) any building erected .... by virtue of Class A
would exceed 465 square metres.
A.2(1) Development is permitted by Class A subject to the following conditions -
(c) waste materials shall not be brought on to the land from elsewhere for deposit except for use in works described in class A(a) or in the provision of a hard surface
(2) development consisting of
(b) the formation or alteration of a private way;
(c) the deposit of waste material (where the relevant area exceeds 0.5 hectare)
is permitted by Class A subject to the following conditions [there then follow various conditions precedent with which in the present case there has been no compliance].
Schedule 2 Part 9
A. The carrying out on land within the boundaries of an unadopted street or private way of works required for the maintenance or improvement of the street or way.
The inspector's decision
Appeal Decision Ground (b) (Appeal 1)
3. I conclude from the evidence of the main parties and what I saw on my site visit that a large quantity of waste material including builders and road menders rubble, has been brought on to the land which is in use for agricultural purposes for the rearing of sheep. The tipping of waste materials in general constitutes a material change in the use of land. The question of whether the works carried out is operational development reasonably necessary for the use of the land for agricultural purposes is a matter for consideration under the ground (c) appeal. I conclude that the breach of planning control alleged in the notice, namely the change of use of the land from agricultural use to agricultural use and use for the unauthorised importation and deposit of waste materials including builders rubble, road menders rubble and spoil has occurred as a matter of fact. The appeal on ground (b) therefore fails.
Ground c (Appeals 1 & 2)
5 .
6.
7. .
8. High Ash Farm is a working farm of approximately 50 hectares. The agricultural holding consists of fields and an orchard and is in use for sheep rearing. I find as a matter of fact that the hard surface in the approximate position marked "A" on the plan attached to the operational development notice covers an area of approximately 1,500 square metres. It is in use as a feeding area for the sheep. In addition, as I saw on my visit there is a further large area of deposited waste material close to point "B" on the plan attached to the operational development notice where the track from "A" to "B" meets a gated access on to Bullsland Lane. This area of deposited waste is also in use as a feeding area for sheep. On a plan attached to a letter to the Council dated 3 November 1998 the appellant estimated this area to be 150ft. x 200ft. (45.72 metres x 60.96 metres), that is to say approximately 2,790 square metres. Even allowing for this calculation to be an overestimate of the area, without doubt the development of both areas far exceeds the 465 square metres permitted development limit under Part 6 Class A of the GPDO.
9. In addition, waste materials have been deposited on the land adjacent to the hard surface at "A" and in a field beside the orchard which are not at present in use for works associated with the use of the land for agricultural purposes. It may be that the total area of land covered by all the deposits of waste material on the land do not exceed 0.5 hectare and are therefore not subject to the prior notification procedure under Class A. However, notwithstanding this the appellant failed to meet the requirement of Class A to give prior notification to the local planning authority of his intention to form a private way from "A" to "B" before beginning the development of the track. The development does not fall to be considered under Schedule 2 Part 9 of the GPDO as claimed by the appellant because Part 9 relates solely to works required for the maintenance or improvement of an unadopted street or private way. For development to benefit from permitted rights there must be a recognisable street or way already in existence. No evidence has been put forward to support any claim that there was a private way already in existence before the track was created from "A" to "B".
Ground (f) (Appeals 1 & 2)
21. The appellant contends that the steps required to comply with the notices are excessive because the materials which have been imported have been used in respect of essential engineering operations to comply with current day farming practices and requirements. The change of use notice is imprecise in that no plan has been submitted clearly indicating which sections of the farm track the Council require to be removed nor which areas of hard standing they consider unnecessary for the proper farming of the land. The hard standings will soon blend in and need not be removed. The removal of the materials used for their construction is therefore excessive. The removal of the hard standings and farm racks would result in an expenditure which could not be paid for by the farm and would also result in the current farming enterprise no longer being able to operate.
22. Having regard to my conclusions on the ground (c) appeals and ground (a) under Appeal 2, I consider the requirements of the notices to be necessary and reasonable to remedy the breaches of planning control and the injury to amenity caused by the breaches. I also find the change of use notice to be clear and precise in its requirements. The appeals on ground (f) therefore fail.
(i) In relation to the change of use appeal she held that there had been a material change of use para.3. She therefore dismissed the appeal on the ground set out in s.174(1)(b).
(ii)In relation to both appeals, she rejected the contention that what had occurred was permitted development under Schedule 2 Part 6A of the General Permitted Development Order 1995. In relation to the way, she rejected the contention that what had occurred was permitted development under schedule 2 Part 9.
The proper interpretation and application of Clause A.1(d) of Part 6 of Schedule 2 to the GPDO
51. In paragraph 8 of her decision letter, the inspector noted that the two areas of hardstanding at points A and B are used for the feeding of sheep. This led her to the conclusion that clause A.1(d) of Part 6 of Schedule 2 to the GPDO prevented the two areas of hardstanding from being permitted development.
52. The appellant challenges this conclusion in ground of appeal two. In developing this ground of appeal. Miss Macpherson submitted that the hardstandings are not "works for accommodating livestock". She cited various dictionary definitions of the word "accommodate". She then submitted that apiece of hardstanding on which sheep are fed can hardly be said to be "accommodating" the sheep.
53. Mr. Gibbon submitted that the inspector was entitled to reach the conclusions which she did in paragraph 8 of the decision letter. Accordingly, the court cannot interfere.
54. On this issue, I think that the appellant's appeal is well founded. The words "accommodation" and accommodating" commonly denote some form of habitation. In the context of clause A.1(d)(I) the phrase "works for accommodating livestock" means works which provide some habitable area or shelter for livestock. A surface onto which sheep may come to feed periodically does not fall within this definition. Furthermore, the hardstanding serve other purposes. For example, the hardstandings are used by livestock lorries when manoeuvring, turning or collecting consignments of sheep.
1. The erection of a building for livestock is separately dealt with in Clause A.1(d)(ii); this points towards the conclusion that A.1(d)(i) is intended to deal with something else, namely, development which is permitted under Clause A(b) - excavation or engineering operations rather than the provision of a habitation.
2. A "structure" which does not come within the concept of a "building" but which is erected for the purpose of providing habitation for livestock, is separately dealt with in Clause A.1(d)(i); this points towards the conclusion that "works ... for accommodating livestock" is not aimed at the provision of habitation for livestock since a habitation would (almost) always be either a structure or a building.
3. Clause 1(d)(i) proceeds from the premise that a fence could accommodate livestock; this reinforces the conclusion that "accommodating" is not in this context used in the sense of "providing with habitation". Animals do not even figuratively sit on fences.
Reasonably necessary for the purposes of agriculture within the unit
The application of Part 9 of the GPDO
58. There is some evidence that a farm track predated the hard track laid by the appellant: see paragraph 5.4 of the appellant's comments on the Council's statement. If this is accepted, then the application of hard core to a pre-existing farm track would appear to fall within Part 9 of Schedule 2 to the GPDO: see the reasoning of the Court of Appeal in Cowen v Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions [1999] 3 PLR 108.
59. Nevertheless, I have two reservations in reaching this conclusion. First, it is not clear to me, either from the evidence or from the decision letter, to what extent the hard track follows the line of a pre-existing farm track. Secondly, it is not clear to me whether or not excessive quantities have been applied to the surface of the track. If they have been, those excessive quantities (which have nothing to do with improving the way) should be removed before the works can fall within Part 9 of Schedule 2 to the GPDO.
60. These questions are not addressed by the inspector in her decision letter. These questions must be considered by the inspector when the case is remitted to her.
Did the inspector err in not varying the terms of the enforcement notices
(3) An enforcement notice shall specify the steps which the authority require to be taken, or the activities which the authority require to cease, in order to achieve, wholly or partly, any of the following purposes.
(4) Those purposes are
(a) remedying the breach by making any development comply with the terms (including conditions and limitations) of any planning permission which has been granted in respect of the land, by discontinuing any use of the land or by restoring the land to its condition before the breach took place; or
(b) remedying any injury to amenity which ahs been caused by the breach.
62. This question is approached from various angles in ground of appeal 4, 5 and 6. Miss Macpherson's underlying argument on this part of the case is a simple one. The Council recognised that the importation and deposit of some waste materials in order to form hard tracks and hardstandings was appropriate. This was necessary for the purposes of agriculture: see paragraph 4.1 of the Council's statement. Likewise the inspector recognised that some of the materials deposited by the appellant were necessary for the purposes of agricultural: see paragraphs 3 and 10 to 12 of the inspector's decision letter.63. Despite these concessions, both the enforcement notices and the inspector's decision require the entirety of the waste material on site to be removed, When I pressed Mr. Gibbon during argument about this apparent illogically, he submitted that the appellant has only himself to blame. He did not present a properly articulated alternative case or fall-back position as part of his appeal to the inspector. He submitted that paragraph 5.9 of the appellant's comments on the Council's statement did not suffice for this purpose.
64. If the Secretary of State's contentions prevail, the consequence is startling. The appellant must, within a period of 5 months, dig up his hardstandings and tracks and remove the entirety of the material off site. Having done that, he will then be permitted by Part 6 of Schedule 2 to the GPDO, to bring back a significant part of the material and re-lay his tracks and hardstandings, albeit to more modest dimensions. The appellant will be able to obtain advance approval for the size of his hardstandings by applying for a certificate of lawfulness of proposed development pursuant to section 192 of the 1990 Act.
67. The inspector certainly had power to allow part of the waste materials to remain on site: see section 174(2) and section 176(1) of the 1990 Act. Can she be criticised for not exercising that power? It appears from the decision letter that the inspector did not specifically consider this power and whether she should exercise it. In my judgment, that power ought to be exercised. It would be irrational to require the appellant to remove all waste material from the site and then to permit him to bring a significant part of it back again and re-lay it on the site. This course would put the appellant to much needless work and expense and would serve no useful purpose.