L. Bеrry Woods sued the Highway Department, alleging causes of action for inverse condemnation, equitable estoppel and constructive fraud arising out of the Department’s decision to close one end of Frontage Road, which is adjacent to his property in Greenville County. The circuit court granted summary judgment to the Department and Woods appeals. We affirm.
I.
Woods argues first that the circuit court erred in dismissing his claim for inverse condemnation. We disagree.
An abutting property owner has a right of access over an existing road adjacent to his property as аn appurtenance thereto.
Gray v. South Carolina Dept. of Highways & Public Transportation,
— S.C. —, —,
Furthermore, not аll damages suffered by a private property owner at the hands of the governmental agency are compensable.
Gray.
The propеrty itself must suffer some diminution in substance, or be rendered intrinsically less valuable by reason of the public use.
Id.
To warrant recovery, the damage must be diffеrent in kind and not merely in degree from that sustained by the public generally.
Id.
In this case, although Woods alleged that the value of his property has declined, he presented no evidence to support this claim. He also did not allege or demonstrate that any damage he suffered was different in kind from that sustained by the public generally. Additionally, Woods did not present evidence by affidavit or otherwise that closing the intersection affectеd the value of his property in some special way not common to other property in the area. Thus, no “taking” oc
cuired, and Woods has no claim for inverse condemnation. Accordingly,
II.
Woods next argues the circuit court erred in dismissing his promissory estoppel cause of aсtion. We disagree.
The elements of promissory estoppel are: (1) the presence of a promise unambiguous in its terms; (2) reasonable rеliance upon the promise by the party to whom the promise is made; (3) the reliance is expected and foreseeable by the party who makes the promise; and (4) the party to whom the promise is made must sustain injury in reliance on the promise.
Powers Const. Co. v. Salem, Carpets, Inc.,
III.
Woods argues the circuit court erred in dismissing his cоnstructive fraud cause of action. We disagree.
In
Giles v. Lanford & Gibson, Inc.,
Constructive fraud is a breach of legal or equitable duty which, irrespective of the moral guilt оf the fraud feasor, the law declares fraudulent because of its tendency to deceive others, to violate public or private cоnfidence, or to injure public interests.
Neither actual dishonesty of purpose nor intent to deceive is as essential element of construсtive fraud. An intent to deceive is an essential element of actual fraud. The presence or absence of such an intent distinguishes actual frаud from constructive fraud.
* * $ * * *
An allegation that the defendant ought to have known the falsity of the misrepresentation is sufficient to support an actiоn for constructive fraud.
In this case, Woods did not allege any representation. Even if we were to liberally read his complaint as alleging a representation of some kind, he presented evidence of nothing more than a mere promise to do something (or not to do something) in the futurе. To establish constructive fraud all elements of actual fraud except the element of intent must be established.
O’Quinn v. Beach Associates,
Furthermore, in a constructive fraud case, where there is no confidential
Finally, Woods presented no evidence of resulting damages, other than his bare assertion that the value of his property had decreased. An action for damages based upon fraudulent misrepresentation, even constructive fraud, will not exist in the absence of damages occasioned by the fraud. O’Quinn.
We hold that Woods’s complaint is inadequate insofar as he attempted to allege constructive fraud on the part of the Department. Additionally, Woods did not set forth specific facts showing there was a genuine issue for trial regarding his constructive fraud cause of action. Accordingly, we affirm the trial court’s grant of summary judgment for the Department.
IV.
In view of our disposition of the other issues in this case, we hold that Woods’s claim that the circuit court should not havе addressed summary judgment as to his equitable estoppel and constructive fraud claims is manifestly without merit. S.C. Code Ann. § 14-8-250 (Supp. 1992) and Rule 220(b)(2), SCACR. We note that the circuit court held all of the issues were “subsumed” in the inverse condemnation claim, and Woods did not argue against that ruling on appeal. In any event, even if the grounds were not included in the motion for summary judgment, the trial court may rule on the grounds as tendered to the court in argument without objection.
Turbeville v. Floyd,
Accordingly, the judgment below is
Affirmed.
