Daniel Hill v South Cambridgeshire District Council

Facts

Mr and Mrs Hill purchased land adjacent to 28 Badcock Road, Haslingfield, Cambridge at auction in October 2023. Haslingfield Parish Council nominated the land as an asset of community value on 20 October 2023, and South Cambridgeshire District Council determined to list it on 12 December 2023. Mrs Hill sought an internal review; following a review hearing on 19 March 2024, the Council confirmed the listing on 25 March 2024. Mr Hill's appeal to the First-tier Tribunal against the listing (the First Appeal) was dismissed on 11 February 2025. The Council had reimbursed the legal expenses incurred before the review hearing, but by letter dated 22 April 2025 refused to reimburse the further solicitors' invoices submitted by Mrs Hill for the First Appeal, on the ground that they were incurred in an unsuccessful Tribunal appeal. A compensation review was requested and, on 30 June 2025, the Council's Head of Housing confirmed the refusal. Mr Hill appealed to the Tribunal, initially complaining that no review had been carried out; the appeal was directed to proceed under Regulation 17 of the Assets of Community Value (England) Regulations 2012 against the refusal of compensation. He argued that the Council had led him to believe his legal costs were recoverable and had never warned him that Tribunal costs would be treated differently.