Marlborough News April 2015 UK Inflation R ate The UK's inflation rate remained at a record low of 0% in March, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Cheaper clothing and footwear, offset by a rise in petrol prices, helped to maintain the rate at 0% for a second month, meaning the cost of living is broadly the same as it was a year earlier. However, the ONS said that if the rate of inflation was calculated to two decimal places, prices were 0.01% lower than a year before - a first fall on record for the Consumer Price Index measure.
Are you Listed? Everyone's heard of listed buildings but did you know that they are called this because their details are entered on a list, officially called the National Heritage List for England. This also contains details of all scheduled monuments, registered historic parks, gardens and battlefields and protected wrecks. Central to Historic England's (HE) role is a duty to advise the Government on which buildings and sites should be added to the list and thereby given special protection in the planning system. They recently recommended 14 of the finest post war office buildings for listing. Sporting a new name – the Historic England Archive – HE have amassed an amazing collection of material including some of the earliest photographs dating as far back as 1855, which is now available for public view and purchase (online catalogue).
The value of the pound fell after the release of the latest UK inflation figures. The pound fell almost half a cent against the dollar on the news, dropping to $1.4611 at one point, before recovering slightly to $1.4629. Against the euro, sterling was down 0.24% at €1.3854. The lack of inflationary pressures suggests any interest rate rise by the Bank of England remains some way off, which is good news for anyone with a mortgage!
The Right of Light Mr Tim Hotchkiss, Solicitor, Awdry Bailey & Douglas What is a right of light? A right of light is a right to enjoy the natural light that passes over someone else’s land and then enters through defined apertures in a building, including windows, skylights and glass roofs. Once established, the right entitles the beneficiary to receive sufficient natural light through the aperture to allow the room or space behind the aperture to be used for its ordinary purpose. Rooms used for different purposes will be entitled to receive different levels of light, the classic example being a greenhouse. Acquiring a right of light A right of light must be acquired before it
Scottish ‘Stamp Duty’ The Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) replaces UK stamp duty in Scotland this month. The new system uses a graduated tax rate, working in a similar way to income tax. Under LBTT, properties worth up to £145,000 will not attract any tax. For sales between £145,000 and £250,000, a tax rate of 2% will be applied, with the introduction of a new rate of 5% between £250,001 and £325,000. Between £325,001 and £750,000, the marginal rate will be 10%, with a top rate of 12% applying to all transactions above £750,000. The Scottish government has said nine out of ten taxpayers will be better or no worse off under the new system.
can be enforced. This can occur in various ways, including by formal registration, granting by deed or automatically by having a minimum of 20 years unobstructed enjoyment of light through a defined aperture without consent, openly, without threat and without interruption for more than a year. Development A development may be prevented as a result of a right of light even if planning permission has been granted. A ‘development’ in this respect includes a neighbour’s new shed, garden walls and extensions. If a new building limits the amount of light entering a defined aperture and the level of light inside falls below the accepted level, which then constitutes an obstruction.
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Remedies Unless a right of light is waived, you are entitled to take legal action against the neighbouring proprietor. Such remedies include compensation, remedial work to the development or a combination of both. In extreme cases, the courts will even award an injunction.