Crowe v Head, Transport for Victoria

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF VICTORIA Not Restricted

AT MELBOURNE

COMMON LAW DIVISION

VALUATION, COMPENSATION AND PLANNING LIST

S ECI 2019 03378

PATRICK WILLIAM CROWE	Applicant
v
HEAD, TRANSPORT FOR VICTORIA	Respondent

S ECI 2019 03383

PATRICK WILLIAM CROWE and WENDY LORRAINE CROWE	Applicants
v
HEAD, TRANSPORT FOR VICTORIA	Respondent

---

JUDGE:	Richards J
WHERE HELD:	Melbourne
DATE OF HEARING:	4–6, 27 November 2020
DATE OF JUDGMENT:	15 April 2021
CASE MAY BE CITED AS:	Crowe v Head, Transport for Victoria
MEDIUM NEUTRAL CITATION:	[2021] VSC 180

---

LAND VALUATION AND COMPENSATION – Claim for compensation for farm land compulsorily acquired for Drysdale Bypass – Land acquired in 2018 – Bypass first proposed in 1975 – Requirement to disregard any decrease in the market value of the land acquired arising from the proposal – Dispute as to whether subject land would have been zoned for residential use but for the Bypass proposal – Separate questions as to hypothetical zoning of subject land – Approach to determining separate questions – Significance of planning history and expert planning evidence – Opinions of respondent’s planning experts preferred – Land Acquisition and Compensation Act 1986 (Vic), s 43(1).

---

APPEARANCES:	Counsel	Solicitors
For the Applicants	Ms L Hannon QC with Ms JMF Trewhella	Whyte Just & Moore
For the Respondent	Mr S Goubran QC with Ms X Teo	Russell Kennedy

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction................................................................................................................................... 1

Legal framework........................................................................................................................... 2

Drakes land and Murradoc land................................................................................................. 5

Drysdale planning history........................................................................................................... 8

1960 – Interim Development Order.................................................................................. 9

1974 – Rural Area Planning Policy.................................................................................... 9

1975 – Geelong Regional Interim Development Order................................................ 11

1980 – Drysdale Bypass Study......................................................................................... 11

1981 – Drysdale Bypass Summary Report: Location Investigation........................... 16

1983 – Geelong Regional Planning Scheme Amendment 26....................................... 17

1983 – Adopted Drysdale/Clifton Springs Structure Plan.......................................... 21

1992 – Drysdale/Clifton Springs Structure Plan.......................................................... 29

2000 – New Format Greater Geelong Planning Scheme.............................................. 33

2007 – Jetty Road Urban Growth Plan............................................................................ 35

2007 – Rural Land Use Strategy....................................................................................... 37

2007 – Housing Diversity Strategy.................................................................................. 38

2010 – Drysdale/Clifton Springs Structure Plan.......................................................... 38

Subsequent developments............................................................................................... 41

Expert evidence........................................................................................................................... 45

Overview............................................................................................................................. 45

Brendan Rogers.................................................................................................................. 47

Sophie Jordan..................................................................................................................... 56

Andrew Clarke................................................................................................................... 69

Submissions................................................................................................................................. 76

Applicants’ submissions................................................................................................... 76

Authority’s submissions................................................................................................... 78

Consideration.............................................................................................................................. 80

Disposition................................................................................................................................... 86

HER HONOUR:

Introduction

1. In 2018, the Roads Corporation (the Authority)[1] compulsorily acquired farm land owned by Patrick and Wendy Crowe on the eastern side of Drysdale, on the Bellarine Peninsula, for the construction of the Drysdale Bypass.  On 8 January 2018, it acquired all of the property at 40–50 Drakes Road (Drakes land), which was owned by Mr Crowe, and on 19 April 2018 it acquired part of the property at 117–139 Murradoc Road (Murradoc land), which was owned by Mr and Mrs Crowe.  Mr and Mrs Crowe have claimed compensation for the land that was acquired, in accordance with the Land Acquisition and Compensation Act 1986 (Vic) (LAC Act).  The amount of compensation to which they are entitled is in dispute,…