INTRODUCTION
1. Most of us live in towns and cities, cheek by jowl, with buildings constructed side by side, almost all of which, at least during construction, require some degree of excavation. What could possibly go wrong?
2. An owner of land has a right to expect that adjoining owners will not remove support for their land and is entitled to bring an action for orders to enforce that right. However, that action will be of little assistance if, by the time it is determined, the owner’s castle is lying in pieces at the bottom of the neighbour’s excavation.
3. In this session we are dealing with two aspects of disputes that arise when an owner of land is affected by a removal of support for that land. The presentation has been divided into two parts:
(a) In the first part of the session I will deal with the steps necessary to obtain interim relief to protect the property from further or anticipated damage; and
(b) In the second part Richard Cheney will deal with issues that arise under s.177 of the Conveyancing Act 1919 which will be relevant when proceedings are brought for final relief.
