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14 October 2019 / Emma Humphreys
Issue: 7860 / Categories: Features , Landlord&tenant , Technology
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The calm before a litigation storm?

The new Electronic Communications Code: Emma Humphreys discusses some problematic cases for landowners
  • The market for new sites appears to have ‘stagnated’.
  • Landlords have made known their dislike of the changes introduced by the new code and the aggressive approach taken by some operators.

Mobile operators have been keen to test the boundaries of the new Electronic Communications Code—which governs the relationship between property owners and those who run communications networks through masts, cables, etc—which came into force at the end of 2017. Most tribunal decisions so far make worrying reading for landowners, but we should all be concerned for our wider economy if the constant litigation battles between operators and landowners continue. So, how far-reaching are the rulings to date and why do these decisions matter for our society and economy? 

Can operators use the new code to insist on surveying private property?

Yes, according to the Upper Tribunal decision in Cornerstone Telecommunications Infrastructure Ltd v University of London [2018] UKUT 356 (LC). In that case, it was held that a right of

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Gateley Legal—Jack Kelly

Gateley Legal—Jack Kelly

Gateley Legal expands Midlands residential development team

Gibson Dunn—Richard Surtees

Gibson Dunn—Richard Surtees

Gibson Dunn adds employee benefits and executive compensation practice in London with partner Richard Surtees

Laytons ETL—Alec Cameron

Laytons ETL—Alec Cameron

Laytons ETL appoints new partner and head of intellectual property disputes

NEWS
A series of recent decisions has clarified important principles across property law, from perpetuities to lease renewals and public rights over land
Employers cannot rely on wellbeing services alone to defend workplace stress claims after a High Court decision awarding almost £1m to an overworked employee
Andy Burnham's brand of 'Manchesterism' could offer fresh thinking on legal aid and access to justice if it reaches Westminster, according to Roger Smith, NLJ columnist and former director of JUSTICE
The constitutional fallout from a change of prime minister, rather than the politics, is under scrutiny as questions arise over the limits of executive authority in a leadership transition
The legal profession is undergoing a fundamental shift from selling services to creating technology-enabled products, according to Professor Luke Mason, Head of School of Law at Regent's University London
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