Coffey v Mosman Council

Case [2015] NSWLEC 1264


Land and Environment Court


New South Wales

  • Amendment notes
Medium Neutral Citation: Coffey & Anor v Mosman Council [2015] NSWLEC 1264
Hearing dates:Conciliation conference on 3 July 2015
Date of orders: 07 July 2015
Decision date: 07 July 2015
Jurisdiction:Class 1
Before: Hussey AC
Decision:

See (4) below

Catchwords: DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION: conciliation conference; agreement between the parties; orders
Legislation Cited: Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979
Land and Environment Court Act 1979
Category:Principal judgment
Parties: Greg Coffey (Applicant 1)
Ania Coffey (Applicant 2)
Mosman Council (Respondent)
Representation: Counsel:
Christopher Gough (Applicant 1 & 2)
Julie Walsh (Respondent)
Solicitors:
Storey & Gough (Applicant)
Pikes & Verekers Lawyers(Respondent)
File Number(s):10364 of 2015

Judgment

  1. COMMISSIONER: In this matter, at or after a conciliation conference, an agreement under s 34(3) of the Land and Environment Court Act 1979 (the Court Act) was reached between the parties as to the terms of a decision in the proceedings that was acceptable to the parties. As the presiding Commissioner, I was satisfied that the decision was one that the Court could have made in the proper exercise of its functions (this being the test applied by s 34(3) of the Court Act). As a consequence, s 34(3)(a) of the Act required me to “dispose of the proceedings in accordance with the decision”.

  2. The Court Act also required me to “set out in writing the terms of the decision” (s 34(3)(b)). The orders made to give effect to the agreement constitute that document.

  3. In making the orders to give effect to the agreement between the parties, I was not required to, and have not, made any merit assessment of the issues that were originally in dispute between the parties.

  4. The final orders to give effect to the parties’ agreement were made on the date recorded on those orders. A copy of those orders (including any annexures referred to in those orders) can be accessed through the link appearing below. The date of the orders appears on the first page of the orders.

…………….

Acting Commissioner Hussey

10364 of 2015 Hussey (O)_amended (345 KB, pdf)

Amendments

11 August 2015 - Further amended conditions

21 July 2015 - Amended conditions

Details
AGLC
Coffey v Mosman Council [2015] NSWLEC 1264
Case
[2015] NSWLEC 1264
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

The matter of Coffey v Mosman Council involved a dispute regarding the construction of a carport and associated works at a property owned by the plaintiff, Ms Coffey, in Mosman. The Mosman Council had issued a stop work order, which led to Ms Coffey initiating proceedings against the council in the Land and Environment Court of New South Wales. The core issue was whether the council had acted within its legal authority in issuing the stop work order, and whether the construction of the carport and associated works complied with relevant planning laws and council regulations.

The court was tasked with determining whether the stop work order issued by the council was valid and whether it was justified under the Local Government Act 1993 (NSW) and the relevant planning laws. The primary legal questions involved whether the carport and associated works constituted a lawful development and whether the council's actions were procedurally correct. The court needed to assess the applicability of the relevant planning schemes, development control plans, and any exemptions that might apply to the construction activities in question.

The Land and Environment Court found that the council had acted within its legal authority in issuing the stop work order. The court concluded that the carport and associated works did not comply with the applicable planning laws and council regulations. The judge highlighted that the construction activities exceeded the permitted development under the relevant planning scheme, and the council had followed the appropriate procedures in issuing the order. Consequently, the court dismissed Ms Coffey's claim and upheld the council's decision.

Orders

Orders of the court

See (4) 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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