<p>Filter Knowledge</p>

The Environmental Protection Act 1990 was a landmark piece of legislation for the real estate sector, establishing legal responsibility for contamination and pollution control for land, air and water, and also regulating waste disposal and statutory nuisances. Our understanding of the threat posed by contamination and climate change has increased significantly in the thirty years that followed, and the long-awaited new Environment Act was finally put onto the statute books in 2021. When it is fully operational, what might the new legislation mean for the UK's real estate industry?

A regular briefing for the alternative asset management industry. 

Early on the morning of 24 February 2022, the Russian military launched a broad military offensive targeting Ukraine. The full scope of the Russian military operation is not immediately clear.

For nearly two years the government has been conducting a review of the UK funds regime (the Review) with the aim of making the UK a more attractive location to set up, manage and administer funds and to support a wider range of more efficient investments better suited to investor needs. This review had already yielded some tangible results, in particular the recent introduction of the Long-Term Asset Fund (LTAF) and the development of the new tax regime for qualifying asset holding companies (QAHCs) which is due to come into force in April.

During the build-up of Russian military forces on the borders of Ukraine over the course of recent months, the UK and other countries have issued firm statements that any further incursion by Russia into Ukraine would result in additional economic sanctions on Russian entities and individuals. Today, following Russia's recognition of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions of Ukraine as independent (and the corresponding movement of Russian forces into these regions), a number of new sanctions and other restrictions have been imposed – with further measures likely to follow depending on Russia's actions over the coming days and weeks.

In a ruling made at a hearing on 18 January 2022 in the case of Cambridgeshire County Council v Bam Nuttall Limited & Ors [2022] EWHC 275 (TCC), Mr Justice Waksman gave guidance on the formulation of the list of issues for disclosure (the "LOID") required under the Disclosure Pilot Scheme (set out in Practice Direction 51U ("PD 51U")). 

On 2 December 2021, the Court of Appeal confirmed that: (i) clear wording in an insurance policy could not be overridden by countervailing factors in the factual background; and (ii) a claim could not be estopped where the insurance policy expressly precluded the party claiming estoppel from avoiding liability in the relevant circumstances. The judgment reinforces that, where there is clear and unambiguous contractual wording, the Court will apply it.

The Board of the Privy Council has provided clarity in relation to the scope of duty principle in the recent case of Charles B Lawrence & Associates v Intercommercial Bank Limited (Trinidad and Tobago) [2021] UKPC 30. 

Towards the end of last year, in Smith v Fonterra [2021] NZCA 552 ("Fonterra"), New Zealand's Court of Appeal provided a counterweight ruling to the Dutch Milieudefensie claim (on which, see our briefing). 

A regular briefing for the alternative asset management industry. 

In amongst the blizzard of press releases and policy documents emanating from the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities since the New Year is a consultation called "Reforming the leasehold and commonhold systems in England and Wales". It is important for the commercial real estate sector because it contains new proposals which could tip the balance in mixed use buildings between residential leaseholders on one hand and freeholders and commercial leaseholders on the other hand.

HMRC has published new guidance (Revenue and Customs Brief 2/22) relating to its policy on the VAT treatment of early termination fees and compensation payments paid pursuant to contractual provisions.

Our annual briefing highlighting the key 2021 legal developments which impact the funds' industry and previews what can be expected in 2022.

The UK Government has announced plans for a "Brexit Freedoms" Bill which would make it easier to change retained EU law. It is also considering a series of other measures with implications for retained EU law. 

France's data protection regulator (the CNIL) has imposed hefty fines on Google (€150m) and Facebook (€60m) for making it more difficult for users in France to reject cookies than to accept them. The companies also face penalties of €100,000 per day of delay if they fail to simplify the reject mechanism within 3 months.

Welcome to the sixth edition of our quarterly disputes newsletter, which covers key developments in the dispute resolution world over the last three months or so.