Blacktown City Council v Lasseter

In *Blacktown City Council v Lasseter*, the New South Wales Court of Appeal considered a dispute between Blacktown City Council and Mr Lasseter concerning the Council's refusal to grant development consent for a proposed shopping centre. Mr Lasseter sought to develop a large shopping centre on land zoned for industrial purposes, which the Council opposed.

The primary legal issue before the Court of Appeal was whether the Council had acted unreasonably in refusing development consent. This involved an assessment of whether the Council's decision was so unreasonable that no reasonable body, acting in good faith, could have reached it. The Court also considered the proper approach to assessing the merits of a development proposal when it did not conform to the relevant zoning provisions.

The Court of Appeal found that the Council had failed to properly consider the merits of Mr Lasseter's development proposal, particularly in light of the potential economic benefits and the fact that the land was adjacent to a residential area. The Court held that while zoning provisions are important, they are not determinative, and a council must still engage in a proper assessment of the proposal's overall merits. The Council's refusal was found to be based on an overly rigid adherence to the zoning category without adequately weighing other relevant considerations.

Consequently, the Court of Appeal allowed Mr Lasseter's appeal, set aside the Council's refusal of development consent, and remitted the matter back to the Council with a direction to grant consent, subject to reasonable conditions.