Unauthorized wall transformation and demolition order

ATA/618/1996Court of Justice / Administrative ChamberOct 29, 1996Dismissed

Extracted by Omnilex

Omnilex summary

An owner had altered a wall without authorization and later tried to invoke administrative tolerance and good faith to preserve the situation. The court held that tacit tolerance for less than 30 years does not protect an unauthorized transformation. A subsequent modification cannot simply restore the wall's original form, particularly when it obstructs the neighbor's access to its parcel. The demolition order was therefore maintained.

Omnilex headnote

LCI art. 129 let. e; unauthorized construction, tacit tolerance and protection of good faith: a person who, without authorization, has altered a structure and merely benefited from administrative tolerance for less than 30 years cannot rely on the principle of good faith to defeat removal measures. A later transformation may not be used to circumvent the absence of authorization or to re-create the original state when this would worsen the neighbor's position or impede access. Proportionality does not protect a condition created in breach of planning rules absent special circumstances.

Full text

Descripteurs

CONSTRUCTION ET INSTALLATION; MUR; AUTORISATION DEROGATOIRE(EN GENERAL); PERMIS DE CONSTRUIRE; ORDRE DE DEMOLITION; PROPORTIONNALITE; TPE

Normes

LCI.129 litt.e

Résumé

Ne peut se prévaloir du principe de la bonne foi, celui qui, sans autorisation, a entrepris il y a moins de 30 ans la transformation d'un mur que l'administration a tacitement tolérée. En particulier, le propriétaire ne saurait simplement, par une nouvelle transformation, rétablir la forme originelle du mur, surtout lorsqu'il s'agit de gêner l'accès du voisin à sa parcelle.

Keywords

planning lawunauthorized constructiongood faithtacit tolerancedemolition orderproportionalityneighbor accesswall

Extracted by Omnilex

Key legal questions extracted by Omnilex

Key legal question

Whether the owner could rely on good faith and tolerated use to avoid a demolition order for the unauthorized wall transformation.

Extracted holding

No. A person who undertakes an unauthorized transformation and relies on mere tacit tolerance for less than 30 years cannot invoke good faith to preserve it.

Extracted reasoning

The prior unauthorized alteration had not acquired protection through sufficient passage of time or a lawful authorization. A later transformation could not be used to re-establish the wall's original form, especially where it impeded access to the neighboring parcel.

Unauthorized wall transformation and demolition orderAI generated