The Inspector had found that the landowner had, by overt acts directed at users of the way in question, including the erection of locked gates and of fencing and of notices, disproved any intention on his part to dedicate. Held: The landowner’s appeal succeeded. Laws J reflected on the conjunction in the statutory scheme of … Continue reading Jacques v Secretary of State for the Environment: CA 1995

The court considered whether a pathway had become a public highway. Held: ‘The main question for the Court is whether sufficiency of evidence of an intention not to dedicate necessary to satisfy the proviso requires, as a matter of law, that during the relevant 20 year period the landowner should not only prove that negative … Continue reading Godmanchester Town Council, Regina (on the Application Of) v Secretary of State for the Environment Food and Rural Affairs: CA 19 Dec 2005

The question of sufficiency of evidence for the purpose of the proviso in the subsection is a question of fact for the tribunal to determine in each case. The court rejected a broad submission from the appellant that the 1980 Act and its predecessor had fundamentally altered the common law by introducing much more stringent … Continue reading Regina v Secretary of State for the Environment, ex parte Cowell: CA 1993

Public right of way must be established by enjoyment as of right for 20 years. Citations: Independent 08-Jun-1994 Statutes: Highways Act 1980 31(1) Jurisdiction: England and Wales Cited by: Appeal from – Jacques v Secretary of State for the Environment CA 1995 The Inspector had found that the landowner had, by overt acts directed at … Continue reading Jacques v Secretary of State for the Environment: QBD 8 Jun 1994

Hobhouse LJ, adopted at least part of Denning LJ’s approach in Fairey, holding that the absence of intention to dedicate had to be ‘objectively established by overt acts of the landowner’, and that ‘This is not a subjective test. The absence of intention must be objectively established by overt acts of the landowner.’ It was … Continue reading Secretary of State for the Environment v Beresford Trustees: CA 31 Jul 1996

The house was asked about whether continuous use of an apparent right of way by the public would create a public right of way after 20 years, and also whether a non overt act by a landowner was sufficient to prove his intention not to dedicate the land as a public right of way. Held: … Continue reading Godmanchester Town Council, Regina (on the Application of) v Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: HL 20 Jun 2007