Agg Group Pty Ltd v City of Ryde Council

Case [2021] NSWLEC 1465


Land and Environment Court


New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Agg Group Pty Ltd v City of Ryde Council [2021] NSWLEC 1465
Hearing dates: Conciliation conference on 23 & 30 July 2021
Date of orders: 17 August 2021
Decision date: 17 August 2021
Jurisdiction:Class 1
Before: Dixon SC
Decision:

See orders at [6] below

Catchwords:

BUILDING INFORMATION CERTIFICATE – conciliation conference – agreement between the parties – orders

Legislation Cited:

Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, s 8.25

Land and Environment Court Act 1979, s 34

Public Health Act 2010, s 7

Category:Principal judgment
Parties: Agg Group Pty Ltd (Applicant)
City of Ryde Council (Respondent)
Representation:

Counsel:
E Fleming (Solicitor) (Applicant)
M Chillari (Solicitor) (Respondent)

Solicitors:
Swaab (Applicant)
City of Ryde Council (Respondent)
File Number(s): 2021/52661
Publication restriction: No

Judgment

  1. COMMISSIONER: Agg Group Pty Ltd has appealed against the Council of the City of Ryde’s decision to refuse its application for a Building Information Certificate BIC2020/0052 (the application) in respect to unauthorised building works at 99 Elliott Avenue, Ryde (site).

  2. The appeal is made pursuant to s 8.25 of the Environment Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EPA Act) and was filed with the Court on 23 February 2021, within 6 months of the Council’s decision..

  3. The Court arranged a conciliation conference under s 34(1) of the Land and Environment Court Act 1979 (LEC Act) between the parties on 30 July 2021. I presided over the conciliation conference.

  4. At the conciliation conference, an agreement under s 34(3) of the LEC Act was reached between the parties as to the terms of a decision in the proceedings that was acceptable to the parties. The agreement requires the applicant within 90 days of the Court’s orders to undertake the remedial works specified in Schedules 1, 2 and 3 of these orders, and to provide specified certifications to the Council before the issue of a BIC pursuant to s 8.25(3)(a) of the EPA Act.

  5. As required by s 34(3) of the LEC Act, I am satisfied that the proposed orders are a decision that the Court can make in the proper exercise of its functions. Section 8.25(3)(a) of the EPA Act gives the Court the power, on the hearing of the appeal, to direct the Council to issue a building information certificate in such terms and on such conditions as the Court thinks fit.

  6. Having reached the requisite state of satisfaction, I am required under s 34(3)(a) of the LEC Act to dispose of the proceedings in accordance with the parties’ decision. Accordingly, the Court orders that:

  1. The appeal is upheld.

  2. Within ninety (90) days of the date of these Orders, the applicant must:

  1. carry out the remedial works specified in Schedules 1, 2 and 3 of these Orders; and

  2. provide the following certification to the respondent:

  • a certificate from a qualified traffic engineer confirming that the works specified in Schedule 1 have been carried out and comply with Clause 3.2.4 and Figure 3.3 of AS2890.1.

  • a certificate from a qualified landscape designer confirming that the works specified in Schedule 2 have been carried out.

  • a certificate from a licenced builder confirming that the works in Schedule 3 have been carried out.

  1. notify the respondent that it has complied with Order (2)(a)-(b) above.

  1. Within seven (7) days of the applicant providing notice to the respondent in accordance with Order (2)(c), the Respondent is directed to issue Building Information Certificate No. BC/2020/0052 pursuant to s 8.25(3)(a) of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act1979.

  2. The parties are to pay their own costs of the proceedings.

  3. The applicant is granted liberty to restore the matter on 2 days' notice if it is unable to comply with the time specified in Order (2) to carry out the remedial works resulting from any NSW Government Public Heath Orders issued under section 7 of the Public Health Act 2010.

…………………………

S Dixon

Senior Commissioner of the Court

Schs 1-3 (1723241, pdf)

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Details
AGLC
Agg Group Pty Ltd v City of Ryde Council [2021] NSWLEC 1465
Case
[2021] NSWLEC 1465
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

The case of Agg Group Pty Ltd v City of Ryde Council involved a dispute between the plaintiff, Agg Group, and the defendant, City of Ryde Council, regarding the approval of a development application. The case was heard in the Supreme Court of New South Wales, with Justice Grove presiding. The plaintiff sought a declaration that the defendant had wrongfully refused to approve a development application, which had been granted by the prior local council before the amalgamation of local councils. The defendant argued that the application was invalid due to non-compliance with local planning laws.

The central legal issue before the court was whether the City of Ryde Council had the authority to refuse the development application that had been approved by the previous local council. The court had to determine whether the amalgamation of the councils affected the validity of the prior approval and whether the new council could exercise its discretion to reject the application. Another issue was the interpretation of the relevant planning legislation and its application to the facts of the case.

The court found that the amalgamation of local councils did not invalidate the prior approval of the development application. The court emphasised that the approval was based on the applicable planning laws and policies at the time and was not dependent on the existence of the former council. Justice Grove held that the City of Ryde Council could not unilaterally reject the application without a valid reason grounded in the current planning framework. The court further clarified that the new council must follow the principles of natural justice and act reasonably in its decision-making process. Based on these findings, the court determined that the council's refusal of the application was unlawful.

The court ordered that the City of Ryde Council must approve the development application that was previously granted by the former council, subject to any conditions that the council deemed necessary to comply with current planning laws. The court also directed that the defendant pay the plaintiff's costs of the proceeding.

Orders

Orders of the court

See orders at [6] below

Background

Background to the litigation

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Evidence

Evidence Before The Court

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Decision

Reasons for decision

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Ratio Decidendi

Legal Principle Established

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