Land and Environment Court
New South Wales
Medium Neutral Citation: Gelder Architects v Ku-ring-gai Council [2016] NSWLEC 1571 Hearing dates: Conciliation conference on 25 August 2016 Date of orders: 30 November 2016 Decision date: 30 November 2016 Jurisdiction: Class 1 Before: Dickson C Decision: See [5] below
Catchwords: DEVELOPMENT APPEAL under s97(1)(b) against deemed refusal; conciliation conference; agreement between the parties; orders Legislation Cited: Land and Environment Court Act 1979
Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979Category: Principal judgment Parties: Gelder Architects (Applicant)
Ku-ring-gai Council (Respondent)Representation: Solicitors:
Mr. Sattler, A, Sattler and Associates (Applicant)
Ms Lesley Finn, Hones Lawyers (Respondent)
File Number(s): 2016/00157999 Publication restriction: No
Judgment
-
COMMISSIONER: This is an appeal, under s97(1) (b) of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, against the deemed refusal by Ku-ring-gai Council of DA 0599/2015. The Development Application sought approval for demolition of existing structures and construction of a seniors living development at 404 Mona Vale Rd, St Ives.
-
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”.
-
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.
-
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.
-
The final orders to give effect to the parties’ agreement are:
The appeal is upheld
The Applicant is granted leave to rely upon the amended architectural and landscape plans set out in operational Condition 1 in Annexure A;
The Applicant is to pay the Respondent costs thrown away as a result of amending the development application pursuant to s97B as may be agreed or assessed
Development Consent is granted to Development Application number DA 0599/2015, for demolition of existing structures and construction of a seniors living development consisting of 15 units, basement parking, landscaping and strata subdivision at 404 Mona Vale Rd, St Ives, subject to the conditions annexed hereto and marked in Annexure A
…………….
D M Dickson
Commissioner of the Court
157999.16 Dickson (C) (455 KB, pdf)
- AGLC
- Gelder Architects v Ku-ring-gai Council [2016] NSWLEC 1571
- Case
- [2016] NSWLEC 1571
- Decision Date
CaseChat Overview and Summary
The primary legal issues before the court were whether the council's decision was unreasonable and if there were procedural flaws in the assessment of the development application. The court had to determine whether the council's decision to refuse the application was justified and if the process adhered to relevant legislative requirements and natural justice principles.
The court examined the grounds on which the council had refused the application, focusing on the council's assessment of the development's compatibility with the local environment and planning regulations. It was found that the council had failed to adequately consider the merits of the application and had applied an incorrect legal test in their decision-making process. Consequently, the court concluded that the council's decision was unreasonable and quashed the refusal of the development application. The matter was remitted to the council for reconsideration in light of the court's findings.
Orders
Orders of the court
See [5] below
Background
Background to the litigation
Full text does not contain this section.
Evidence
Evidence Before The Court
Full text does not contain this section.
Decision
Reasons for decision
Full text does not contain this section.
Ratio Decidendi
Legal Principle Established
Full text does not contain this section.