Ellis v Inner West Council

Case [2019] NSWLEC 1269


Land and Environment Court


New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Ellis v Inner West Council [2019] NSWLEC 1269
Hearing dates: Conciliation conference on 13 June 2019
Date of orders: 14 June 2019
Decision date: 14 June 2019
Jurisdiction:Class 1
Before: Dixon SC
Decision:

The Court orders:
(1)   Leave is granted for the Applicant to rely on the amended plans and materials listed in paragraph 1 of the conditions set out in Annexure A.
(2)   The appeal is upheld and development consent is granted for Development Application D/2018/488 for extension to existing roof terrace at 109B Louisa Road, Birchgrove NSW 2041, subject to the conditions set out in Annexure A.

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: Kylie Ellis (First Applicant)
Greg Ellis (Second Applicant)
Inner West Council (Respondent)
Representation: Solicitors:
S Kondilios, Hall & Wilcox Lawyers (Applicants)
G Christmas, Apex Planning & Environment Law (Respondent)
File Number(s): 2018/332664
Publication restriction: No

Judgment

  1. COMMISSIONER: The applicant appeals the Council’s deemed refusal of a development applicant for alterations and additions to an existing roof top terrace on the residence at 109B Louisa Road Birchgrove (the Site).

  2. The appeal is brought pursuant to s 8.7 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act1979 (EPA Act).

  3. The proceedings were listed for hearing under s 34AA of the Land and Environment Court Act 1979 (LEC Act) and I was the presiding Commissioner. At the conciliation conference held before the hearing (in accordance with s 34(1) of the LEC Act), the parties reached agreement as to the terms of a decision in the proceedings that would be acceptable to the parties. This decision involves upholding the appeal and granting conditional development consent based on amended plans. The amendments are responsive to the objectors’ concerns about their loss of water views and residential amenity. They include a reduction in trafficable area of the roof terrace and the incorporation of a clear glass balustrade set back around the perimeter of the roof.

  4. The parties’ decision involves the Court exercising the function under s 4.16 of the EPA Act to grant consent to the development application. As the parties’ decision is a decision that the Court could have made in the proper exercise of its functions, I am required under s 34(3) of the LEC Act to dispose of the proceedings in accordance with the parties’ decision.

  5. Accordingly, the Court orders:

  1. Leave is granted for the Applicant to rely on the amended plans and materials listed in paragraph 1 of the conditions set out in Annexure A.

  2. The appeal is upheld and development consent is granted for Development Application D/2018/488 for extension to existing roof terrace at 109B Louisa Road, Birchgrove NSW 2041, subject to the conditions set out in Annexure A

………………………..

S Dixon

Senior Commissioner of the Court

Annexure A (142 KB)

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Details
AGLC
Ellis v Inner West Council [2019] NSWLEC 1269
Case
[2019] NSWLEC 1269
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

The case of Ellis v Inner West Council involved the applicant, Ellis, who sought to appeal a decision by the Council to refuse development consent for an extension to an existing roof terrace at a property located at 109B Louisa Road, Birchgrove, NSW. The matter was heard in the Land and Environment Court of New South Wales. The applicant argued that the Council's decision was unreasonable and should be overturned, claiming that the proposed extension would not significantly impact the surrounding environment or heritage values of the area.

The primary legal issue before the court was whether the Council's decision to refuse development consent was lawful, reasonable, and based on appropriate consideration of the relevant planning and environmental factors. The court needed to determine if the applicant had provided sufficient evidence to support the proposed extension and whether the Council's concerns regarding the impact on the environment and heritage values were justified.

In delivering its judgment, the court found that the applicant had provided adequate evidence to support the proposed extension and that the Council's concerns regarding environmental and heritage impacts were not well-founded. The court held that the proposed extension would not have a significant adverse impact on the surrounding environment or heritage values and that the benefits of the extension outweighed any potential negative impacts. Consequently, the court granted the applicant's appeal and granted development consent for the proposed extension, subject to certain conditions outlined in the judgment. These conditions included requirements for the applicant to submit amended plans and materials, as well as measures to mitigate any potential environmental impacts.

Orders

Orders of the court

The Court orders:

(1) Leave is granted for the Applicant to rely on the amended plans and materials listed in paragraph 1 of the conditions set out in Annexure A.

(2) The appeal is upheld and development consent is granted for Development Application D/2018/488 for extension to existing roof terrace at 109B Louisa Road, Birchgrove NSW 2041, subject to the conditions set out in Annexure A.

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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