Common law is ‘Judge made’ rather than statue law . The Defendants were engaged in leather tanning at Sawston. Key Cases : Rylands v Fletcher (1868) / Healy v Bray UDC [1963-4] / Cambridge Water Co Ltd v Eastern Counties Leather plc / Rickards v Lothian / Read v Lyons. Free resources to assist you with your legal studies! On investigation, it emerged that the solvent came from the Eastern Counties Leather plc tannery, about 1.3 miles from the borehole. CASES Cambridge Water Leather plc: Diluting Company v Eastern Counties Liability for Continuing Escapes David Wilkinson * Cambridge Water Company v Eastern Counties Leather plc’ is a landmark case. Cambridge In Water Co. v. Eastern Counties Leather pic [1994] 2 A.C. 264, 300 Lord Goff argued tha t a plaintiff should not be able to recover for damage to property more easily than personal injury. During their work, as a result of the process of degreasing pelts, small quantities of a solvent known as Perchloroethene (PCE) was spilt on the floor of the building in which the Defendants carried out their activities. Cambridge Water v Eastern Counties Leather plc 2 AC 264 House of Lords The defendant owned a leather tanning business. The Case of Cambridge Water Co Ltd v Eastern Counties Leather Plc The case of Cambridge Water Co Ltd v Eastern Counties Leather Plc, has overruled the fundamental case under strict liability which is Rylands v Fletcher.There are several reasons were given by the judge on the new principle established in this Cambridge case. Discusses and details the 1994 case of Cambridge Water Co. v. Eastern Countries Leather plc and comments on the decision of the House of Lords, which found in favour of the polluter (ECL). The “rule” in Rylands v. Fletcher (1866): “We think that the true rule of law is, that the person who for his own purposes brings on his lands and collects and keeps there anything likely to do mischief if it escapes, must keep it in at his Cambridge Water Co. and Eastern Counties Leather Plc. First, and most obviously, it testifies to the neglected and polluted state of British The trial judge held that the remoteness requirement did not apply to Rylands v Fletcher liability, but the defendant was still not liable because their use of the land was natural. Must the harm be foreseeable to be recoverable under the rule in. VAT Registration No: 842417633. D used and stored a chlorinated solvent at its tannery, situated just over a mile from P’s borehole where water was abstracted for domestic use. Facts. In-house law team, Applicability of remoteness of damage rules in nuisance and Rylands v Fletcher cases. Cambridge Water Co. v Eastern Countries Leather plc [1994] 2 AC 264. Cambridge Water Co Ltd v Eastern Counties Leather Plc House of Lords. Torts have been used to control environmental pollution although the environment is not their primary purpose which is the protection o… Decision in "Cambridge Water" D.C. v. Heller. There must be a continuous interference over a period of time with the claimant's use or enjoyment of land. Donoghue v. Stevenson . This case document summarizes the facts and decision in Cambridge Water Co v Eastern Counties Leather plc 2 AC 264. Both parties appealed. Facts. Applicability of remoteness of damage rules in nuisance and Rylands v Fletcher cases. Company Registration No: 4964706. Module. Case Summary The indications are that the House of Lords may take this opportunity to update the civil law relating to … 14th Oct 2019 Cambridge Water Co. purchased a borehole in 1976 to extract water to supply to the public. Cambridge Water v. Eastern Counties Leather The Polluter′s Charter Cambridge Water v. Eastern Counties Leather The Polluter′s Charter Rosalind Lee 1994-09-01 00:00:00 Discusses and details the 1994 case of Cambridge Water Co. v. Eastern Countries Leather plc and comments on the decision of the House of Lords, which found in favour of the polluter (ECL). The remoteness of damage requirement applied to both nuisance and the rule in Rylands v Fletcher. Keele University. This is significant to Wessex Water Plc's case as while the chemicals bring increased danger the presence of Cornwall County Leather Plc has benefited the community. The document also included supporting commentary from author Craig Purshouse. David Wilkinson. Must the harm be foreseeable to be recoverable in nuisance? However, he noted that: Cambridge Water v Eastern Counties Leather – Case Summary. This made the water unsafe to drink. The borehole was used to extract and supply water to local residents and consequently this meant that the water available for extraction as contaminated and to such a degree that it could not be safely used by the Claimants. Past Final Examinations Foreseeability of harm of the relevant type by the defendant is a prerequisite of the recovery of damages both in nuisance and under the rule in Rylands v Fletcher. Rylands. It was held further that the damage in this case was too remote as it was not possible for the Defendants to reasonably foresee a spillage which would eventually lead to contamination of a water borehole so far away. Registered office: Venture House, Cross Street, Arnold, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG5 7PJ. Cambridge Water v. Eastern Counties Leather . We also have a number of sample law papers, each written to a specific grade, to illustrate the work delivered by our academic services. They agreed that the defendant’s use of the land was non-natural, but the actions failed because the claimant could not establish that their losses were sufficiently non-remote. Take a look at some weird laws from around the world! Due to unforeseen seepage, the defendant’s chemicals contaminated the claimant’s borehole (which was over a mile away). The Defendants were therefore not liable for the damage. A Tort is a wrong which results when there is a breach of civil duty owed to someone else. Rylands v. Fletcher, requiring foreseeability of harm. The defendant, Eastern It was held that the necessity to prove foreseeability of the type of damage suffered and to deal with remoteness of damage more generally applies equally to cases based on negligence, nuisance and the rule in Rylands v Fletcher. The fact that there is a foreseeable and significant danger in the event of an escape is a strong indicator that it is non-natural; The fact that the activity is common in a particular locality or industry is not enough to make it natural. Disclaimer: This work was produced by one of our expert legal writers, as a learning aid to help law students with their studies. The issue in the case was whether the rules for remoteness of damage and foreseeability of the type of damage caused apply to cases involving the rule in Rylands v Fletcher and nuisance in the same way they do for negligence cases. But I think that the point is now settled by two recent decisions of the House of Lords: Cambridge Water Co v Eastern Counties Leather plc [1994] AC 264, which decided that Rylands v Fletcher is a special form of nuisance and Hunter v Canary Wharf Ltd [1997] AC 655, which decided that nuisance is a … In Cambridge Water v Eastern Counties Leather [1994], Lord Goff said: “Foreseeability of damage of the relevant type should be regarded as a prerequisite of liability in damages under the rule” ⇒ … However unlikely an escape may be It emerged that the solvent came from the Eastern Counties Leather plc tannery, about 1.3 miles from the borehole. *You can also browse our support articles here >. To export a reference to this article please select a referencing stye below: Our academic writing and marking services can help you! Cambridge Water Co v Eastern Counties Leather plc ((1994) 2 AC 264, 306) 2 WLR 53 - (Applied) - Nuisance Where the company sought damages against a tannery which had permitted perchloroethane to percolate into the aquifer, thereby rendering the water unusable for the purposes of public supply; B Cambridge Water Co v Eastern Counties Leather plc This was also the interpretation adopted by the House of Lords in Cambridge Water Co v Eastern Counties Leather plc,16 where Lord Goff relied on The Wagon Mound (No 2) to hold that liability in Rylands v Fletcher required foreseeability of the type of harm. Damage must be foreseeable, see Cambridge Water Co Ltd v Eastern Counties Leather plc [1994] - D must have known or ought reasonably to have foreseen that thing, if escaped, may cause damage Cambridge Water Co v Eastern Counties Leather work plc [1994] Tort Law (LAWS2007) Uploaded by. In Cambridge Water Co. v. Eastern Counties Leather PLC,15 Lord Goff, writing for a unanimous House of Lords, indicated that reasonable foreseeability of harm was an essential element in Rylands type cases. Excerpts from the H.L. View all articles and reports associated with Cambridge Water Co Ltd v Eastern Counties Leather plc [1993] UKHL 12 Discusses and details the 1994 case of Cambridge Water Co. v. Eastern Countries Leather plc and comments on the decision of the House of Lords, which found in favour of the polluter (ECL). In Cambridge Water Co. v. Eastern Counties Leather plc [1994] 2 A.C. 264, 300 Lord Goff argued that a plaintiff should not be able to recover for damage to property more easily than personal injury. The contamination was caused by a solvent known as The trial judge dismissed the nuisance and negligence actions on the basis that the harm was not foreseeable and so the loss was too remote. Common law is case law made by Judges which establishes legal precedents arising from disputes between one person and another . Search for more papers by this author. Spillages of small quantities of solvents occurred over a long period of time which seeped through the floor of the building into the soil below. The Defendants were engaged in leather tanning at Sawston. The Court of Appeal had applied strict liability in nuisance for historic pollution. Keele University. Download Citation | On Jan 18, 2011, David Wilkinson published Cambridge Water Company v Eastern Counties Leather plc. Citations: [1994] 2 AC 264; [1994] 2 WLR 53; [1994] 1 All ER 53; [1994] 1 Lloyd’s Rep 261; [1994] Env LR 105; [1993] EG 211 (CS). Search for more papers by this author. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not reflect the views of LawTeacher.net. Does the Rule in Rylands v Fletcher still apply in 21st century. It then discovered that the water was contaminated with a solvent (a liquid substance). Setting a reading intention helps you organise your reading. Cambridge Water Company v Eastern Counties Leather plc. Cambridge Water v Eastern Counties Leather [1994] leather companies chemicals seeped through the earth and into the borehole concentration of chemicals meant fresh water was no longer usable HoL said it would be inconsistent to apply Rylands v Fletcher , chemicals and the concentration that seeped through was unforeseeable Looking for a flexible role? Academic year. C claimed on negligence, nuisance and under rule in . Registered Data Controller No: Z1821391. The Cambridge Water Case (House of Lords) The House of Lords has given its decision in Cambridge Water Company v Eastern Counties Leather plc, finding that there is no liability in nuisance for damage which was not reasonably foreseeable. v Fletcher. Cambridge Water Company v Eastern Counties Leather plc is a landmark case. is part of the Occupational Health & Safety Information Service's online subscription. Cambridge Water case The House of Lords has now heard the appeal in the case of Cambridge Water Company v Eastern Counties Leather plc and reserved judgment. 804,806. Since the tannery opened in 1879 until 1976, the solvent it used had been delivered in 40 gallon drums which were transp… Does rylands v fletcher still apply. The dendant stored chemicals on its land for use in tanning. Lord Goff declined to fully define the concept of ‘naturalness’ under the rule in Rylands v Fletcher. Do you have a 2:1 degree or higher? Cambridge Water v Eastern Counties Leather – Case Summary. You can filter on reading intentions from the list, as well as view them within your profile.. Read the guide × 2011/2012 REQUIREMENTS 1. aaliyah xo. University. C extracts water to supply to the public. First, and most obviously, it testifies to the neglected and polluted state of British groundwater which is used to supply over 30 per cent of domestic water in England and Wales.2 Since the demand for domestic drinking water rises unremittingly,3 In doing so, he specifically rejected the American “ultra- Grant v. Australian Knitting Mills . Was the storage of chemicals a natural use? Reference this Free Practical Law trial CONTINUOUS INTERFERENCE. The dendant stored chemicals on its land for use in tanning. Diluting Liability for Continuing Escapes David Wilkinson. The case concerned an escaped substance which polluted a water source owned by the plaintiff. First published: September 1994. Essential Cases: Tort Law provides a bridge between course textbooks and key case judgments. The House of Lords held in favour of the defendant. Copyright © 2003 - 2020 - LawTeacher is a trading name of All Answers Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales. Any information contained in this case summary does not constitute legal advice and should be treated as educational content only. appellant company, Eastern Counties Leather plc (ECL), is liable to the respondent company, Cambridge Water Co (CWC), in damages in respect of damage suffered by reason of the contamination of water available for abstraction at CWC’s borehole at Sawston Mill near Cambridge. These solvents eventually seeped through the building floor and into the soil, which eventually meant that they contaminated the Claimant’s borehole at Sawston Mill near Cambridge, some 1.3 miles away. The Claimants brought a claim against the Defendants on the grounds of nuisance, negligence and the rule in Rylands v Fletcher. 3 Ibid , at pp. The rule in Rylands v Fletcher is best characterised as a sub-species of nuisance. Citations: [1994] 2 AC 264; [1994] 2 WLR 53; [1994] 1 All ER 53; [1994] 1 Lloyd’s Rep 261; [1994] Env LR 105; [1993] EG 211 (CS). Foreseeability of harm is a prerequisite of the recovery of damages in private and also public nuisance: per Lord Goff, Cambridge Water v Eastern Counties Leather [1994] 1 All ER 53 at 71-2. Strict Liability for Environmental Law: the Deficiencies of the Common Law: Cambridge Water Company v Eastern Counties Leather plc; Cambridge Water Company v Hatchings and Harding Ltd The claimant sued the defendant in nuisance, negligence and under the rule in Rylands v Fletcher. It differs from statutory law which is made by Parliament and sets out measures for the courts to follow. The recent decision in Cambridge Water Co. Ltd. v. Eastern Counties Leather Plc.3 illustrates this ambivalence and raises a variety of questions about the scope, application and policy grounding of the doctrine in a modern setting. Cambridge Water Co. v. Eastern Counties Leather plc 1. University College London. 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