The Manchester Ship Canal Company Ltd (Appellant) v United Utilities Water Ltd (Respondent) No 2
Case ID: 2022/0121
Case summary
Issue
Can The Manchester Ship Canal Company Limited (“MSCC”) bring a private law claim in nuisance and/or trespass against United Utilities Water Limited (“UU”) in respect of unauthorised discharges of untreated foul water by UU into the canal?
Facts
The appeal arises out of a long-running dispute between MSCC and UU concerning discharges into the Manchester Ship Canal from sewers operated by UU. MSCC is the owner of the canal. UU is the sewerage undertaker for the North West of England. MSCC threatened to bring a private law claim in nuisance and/or trespass against UU in respect of unauthorised discharges of untreated foul water by UU into the canal. UU applied to the court for a declaration that no such cause of action was available to MSCC (absent an allegation of negligence or deliberate wrongdoing by UU). The essence of UU’s argument was that the proposed private law claims were impliedly ousted by the Water Industry Act 1991, which provides a statutory enforcement mechanism for breaches of duty by sewerage undertakers. UU was successful before both the High Court and the Court of Appeal. MSCC now appeals to the Supreme Court.
Judgment appealed
Parties
Appellant(s)
The Manchester Ship Canal Company Ltd
Respondent(s)
United Utilities Water Ltd
Appeal
Justices
Lord Reed, Lord Hodge, Lord Lloyd–Jones, Lord Burrows, Lord Stephens, Lady Rose, Lord Richards
Hearing start date
6 March 2023
Hearing finish date
7 March 2023
| Watch hearing | ||
|---|---|---|
| 6 March 2023 | Morning session | Afternoon session |
| 7 March 2023 | Morning session | Afternoon session |
Judgment details
Judgment date
02 July 2024
Neutral citation
[2024] UKSC 22
- Judgment (PDF)
- Press summary (PDF)
- Judgment on The National Archives (HTML version)
- Press Summary on The National Archives (HTML version)
- Judgment on BAILII (HTML version)
| Watch Judgment summary | |
|---|---|
| 02 July 2024 | Judgment summary |