CA 13 April 1987. Appeal by plaintiffs (H) against decision of official referee, who decided a preliminary issue against H in favour of the fourth defendants, Salisbury District Council (S). The other three defendants were architects, building contractors and developers, however S is the sole respondent in this appeal. The action concerns the extent to which a local authority may be liable for failure adequately to discharge its statutory functions under the Public Health Acts and the building regulations. In 1979 H acquired the freehold of a site upon which 8 industrial warehouses were constructed and let on 25 year leases to various companies. Building regulation approval was obtained by S. Since H purchased the site, serious structural damage occurred to the units. At issue was whether S, in carrying out its stautory obligations under the Public Health Acts and the building regulations, owed any duty of care in tort to H. It was agreed that the failure of the units was caused by t