Barkas, Regina (on The Application of) v North Yorkshire County Council and Scarborough Council: Admn 20 Dec 2011

The claimants sought to have registered as a town or village green land in Whitby which had been provided as a playing field by the Local Authority since 1934. The inspector had found that the use had not been ‘as of right’ as required by the 2006 Act. The field, which he said: ‘has all the appearance of a typical municipal recreation ground’ had been acquired by the Council’ predecessor in 1951 under section 73 of the Housing Act 1936 as a site for the erection of houses for the working classes.
Held: The claim failed. The council were clearly entitled to reach the conclusion that the use by the public was implicitly approved by the corporation; indeed there was no reason to infer anything else.

Judges:

Langstaff J

Citations:

[2011] EWHC 3653 (Admin)

Links:

Bailii

Statutes:

Commons Act 2006 15, Housing Act 193673

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Citing:

CitedHE Green and Sons v Minister of Health (No 2) 1947
The plaintiff challenged a compulsory purchase order, saying that the purpose of the order went beyond the statutory purpose.
Held: The provision of ‘houses’ must be taken to include the provision of ancillary facilities. Denning J said that . .
CitedHE Green and Sons v Minister of Health (No 2) 1948
On an application under the 1936 Ac, provided that the field benefited council tenants (which it clearly did) it did not matter that it also benefited other people within the local community.
Denning J said: ‘The next question is whether the . .
Not to be relied onRegina v City of Sunderland ex parte Beresford HL 13-Nov-2003
Land had been used as a park for many years. The council land owner refused to register it as a common, saying that by maintaining the park it had indicated that the use was by consent and licence, and that prescription did not apply.
Held: . .

Cited by:

Appeal fromBarkas v North Yorkshire County Council CA 23-Oct-2012
The court was asked: ‘When local inhabitants indulge in lawful sports and pastimes on a recreation ground which has been provided for that purpose by a local authority in the exercise of its statutory powers, do they do so ‘by right’ or ‘as of . .
At AdminBarkas, Regina (on The Application of ) v North Yorkshire County Council and Another SC 6-Mar-2014
The Court was asked as to the registration of a playing field as a ‘town or village green’. Local residents asserted that their use of the land, having been ‘as of right’ required the registration. They now appealed against rejection of that . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Land

Updated: 31 October 2022; Ref: scu.459728