Carl Edward Williams v Aaron John Thompson-Hall & Ors

Facts

Mr Carl Williams and his wife Susan own and live at The Old Coach House, near Llangollen in North Wales, which they bought in 2003 from the owners of the neighbouring Ystrad Hall, then a nursing home. The transfer of 9 September 2003 imposed restrictive covenants limiting development to three private dwelling houses, restricting use to a private dwelling house occupied by a single family, and prohibiting any trade, business or profession at the property; it also granted a right of way over the driveway crossing the Hall's gardens. From 2008 the applicant ran a small building business, Williams Property Services, from the property, storing materials and machinery there. After a shoulder injury in 2020 which temporarily stopped him working, he became a site supervisor with J7 Construction Ltd in November 2022 and now describes himself as semi-retired. In 2023 he and Mrs Williams opened a two-room bed and breakfast. The objectors, Mr and Mrs Thompson-Hall and Mr and Mrs Thompson, bought the Hall for £1,125,000 in April 2025 as a multi-generational home, having been told by the vendor Mrs Parry in pre-contract enquiries that no covenants were being breached. They issued proceedings to enforce the covenants, which were stayed by consent so that this application under section 84 of the Law of Property Act 1925 could be made.