Hewitsons strengthens its residential practice with new appointment
Law firm Hewitsons is pleased to have further strengthened its residential property team with the appointment of licensed conveyancer Catherine Bolland, based predominately at the firm’s Cambridge office.
Lawyers exceed schools fundraising target
Local law firm Hewitsons has surpassed its £2,000 target in an IT equipment for schools fundraising campaign.
Planning enforcement notices - importance of appealing and the limited defence for non-compliance
The available defences to local authority prosecutions for the non-compliance of planning enforcement notices are limited. The recent case of Zafar v Stoke-On-Trent City Council [2020] highlights such limitations and the importance of exercising your appeal rights. Hewitsons explains:
The seemingly unlimited rights of telecoms operators
Landowners will be keen to understand what limits can be imposed on telecoms operators who have equipment on their land. However, they will be disappointed with the outcome of a recent case concerning a lease renewal under the Electronic Communications Code where the tenant operator was allowed extensive rights to install, upgrade and share the site. Sarah Baron of Hewitsons explains.
Hewitsons supports Save the Children this Christmas
Staff from leading law firm Hewitsons have embraced the Christmas spirit by raising nearly £600 for Save the Children via a series of fundraising events throughout December.
Developer hit with record fine for destroying breeding site for bats
In what should be a salient lesson to all developers carrying out works near breeding sites of protected species, on 8 December at Woolwich Crown Court, Bellway Homes was fined £600,000 after they admitted to damaging or destroying a breeding site or resting place for bats at a construction site in Greenwich.
New starter at Hewitsons further strengthens property credentials of firm
Experienced solicitor Annette Benjamin has joined the residential property team at city law firm Hewitsons.
Government Consults on new permitted development rights to allow town centre uses to convert to residential
The Government has issued a consultation paper seeking views on a proposed new permitted development right for the change use from the new Class E (Commercial, Business and Service) use class to residential in an effort to “support economic recovery, housing delivery and the regeneration of our high streets and town centres”. Gemma Dudley of Hewitsons provides the details.
Further changes to the General Permitted Development Order come into force
Further changes to the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (“the Order”) will come into force today. Hewitsons explains.
Bleak news for retail
The latest news from the retail sector is bleak. Arcadia is on the brink of collapse, having gone into administration, and it appears that their demise means that the rescue deal put forward for Debenhams will also fail. Susanne Hinde of Hewitsons comments...
Legal challenge to new permitted development rights and changes to use classes order fails
The High Court has today dismissed the claim for Judicial Review of the introduction of new permitted development rights and amendments to the Use Classes Order brought by the Rights: Community: Action Group in August. Gemma Dudley of Hewitsons explains.
Further extension to the Furlough Scheme
The Government today (5th November 2020) announced that it is extending the Furlough Scheme even further, this time until 31st March 2021.
Hewitsons co-hosts virtual Trustee Week event
Tomorrow (Wednesday 4th November), Hewitsons’ charities, education and social enterprise team will be hosting a free virtual Trustees’ Week celebration from 10am - 12:30pm, along with co-hosts Voluntary Impact Northamptonshire.
New recruit at city law firm
Solicitor Samuel Mitchell has joined the agriculture and rural property team at Cambridge law firm Hewitsons.
Get it right – legal ownership
The recent High Court case of Fantini v Scrutton and Others [2020] EWCH 1552 (Ch) considered how a property was legally held by a mother and daughter as “joint tenants“ or “tenants in common”. Clare Martin of Hewitsons explains.
Court of Appeal upholds £25,000 fine imposed for planning and listed building breaches
The Court of Appeal has determined in the recent case of R v Western Trading Limited that a £25,000 fine imposed on both a company and its sole director for planning and listed building breaches was not manifestly excessive.
Hewitsons continues to support businesses with online events
Local law firm Hewitsons continues to support the local business community, having announced its autumn series of online events which are open to all and will be conducted via Zoom.
Extended protection for commercial tenants
Boris Johnson is addressing the nation this afternoon and it is anticipated that he will again ask those who can to work from home and will impose a new nationwide 10pm curfew on bars and restaurants. With this tightening of all our freedoms there are calls on the government to extend the economic help they provided at the start of the pandemic.
Government trials online ‘nitrate trading’ auction platform to assist stalled housing growth
The Government has launched a pilot online ‘nitrate trading’ auction platform in south Hampshire and the Solent which it states will unlock housing growth in the area while reducing harmful nitrates and aiding wildlife recovery. If successful it could be extended to other areas in England.
New starter at city law firm
Solicitor Chloe Harbutt has joined the private wealth team at city law firm Hewitsons.
Licensing scheme for the protection of great crested newts comes to Cambridgeshire
Natural England has announced that Cambridgeshire will join its district level licensing initiative to protect the Great Crested Newt. The initiative is designed to better protect the iconic species while also enabling developers and local authorities to more easily deliver on their investment and home-building plans. Great crested newts are the UK’s largest species of newt.
Trainee programme proves Hewitsons ‘trains to retain’
Five promising young trainees have recently qualified as solicitors at Hewitsons, which has offices in Cambridge, London, Northampton and Milton Keynes and places absolute focus on its clients.
Court of Appeal confirms when planning policies are ‘out-of-date’ to trigger the tilted balance in the NPPF
The Court of Appeal has recently confirmed (i) the correct interpretation of the term “out-of-date” in paragraph 11d of the NPPF and (ii) the proper application of local policies which are time-expired or fail to deal with the strategic issue of housing supply.
Are pop-up shops the future for the high street?
Could the pop-up shop provide a glimmer of hope for the retail sector? Real estate lawyer at Hewitsons, Alexandra Messham, asks: Can short-term lettings provide hope for the retail sector and are pop-ups, aka the “Airbnb of the retail world”, the way forward?
Employer rights in the pandemic
As lockdown measures ease and offices reopen, employees are being asked to return to work. But what rights does an employer have if a member of staff refuses to do so, for whatever reason? Employment law specialist Gemma Hill, a senior solicitor at law firm Hewitsons, discusses the issues.