Campton v Parramatta City Council

In the Supreme Court of New South Wales, Campton brought a proceeding against Parramatta City Council. The applicant sought a declaration that the Council's decision to refuse to grant a permit for a particular development was invalid, and sought an order for the Council to grant the permit. The dispute centred on the applicant's application for a permit to develop a commercial property on land located in Parramatta. The Council had refused the application, and the applicant sought judicial review of the decision.
The primary legal issue for the Court to decide was whether the Council's decision to refuse the permit was lawful and reasonable. The applicant argued that the Council had acted irrationally and had failed to consider relevant material in making its decision. The Council contended that it had acted lawfully and reasonably, and that the applicant's proposal did not comply with the relevant planning instruments.
The Court found in favour of the applicant, holding that the Council's decision to refuse the permit was invalid. The Court found that the Council had failed to properly consider relevant material and had acted irrationally in refusing the application. The Court held that the applicant was entitled to a declaration to the effect that the decision was invalid and an order that the Council grant the permit. The Court made the orders as sought by the applicant in its Notice of Motion dated 9 February 2011.