Land and Environment Court
New South Wales
Medium Neutral Citation: Michael Herrman v Council of the City of Sydney [2017] NSWLEC 1027 Hearing dates: Conciliation conference on 18 January 2017 Date of orders: 25 January 2017 Decision date: 25 January 2017 Jurisdiction: Class 1 Before: Dickson C Decision: See (5) below
Catchwords: DEVELOPMENT APPEAL under s97(1) against refusal of application for use as a boarding house: conciliation conference; agreement between the parties; orders Legislation Cited: Land and Environment Court Act 1979
Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979Cases Cited: Nil Category: Principal judgment Parties: Michael Herrman (Applicant)
Council of the City of Sydney (Respondent)Representation: Solicitors:
G.McKee, McKees Legal Solutions, (Applicant)
K.Morrin, City of Sydney (Respondent)
File Number(s): 2016/333864 Publication restriction: No
Judgment
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COMMISSIONER: This is an appeal, under s97(1) of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, against the refusal of Development Application No. D/2016/126 for the use of an existing two storey terrace building as a boarding house at 21 Hill Street, Surry Hills.
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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”.
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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.
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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.
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The final orders to give effect to the parties’ agreement are:
The Applicant is granted leave to rely on the amended plans set out in Annexure A. The parties agree that the amendments are minor for the purposes of section 97B of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act;
The appeal is upheld;
Development Application No. D/2016/126 which was refused by the Respondent on May 12 2016 for the use of the property as a boarding house containing 5 boarding rooms in accordance with the State Environmental Planning Policy (Affordable Rental Housing) 2009 is approved subject to conditions contained in Annexure B hereto.
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D M Dickson
Commissioner of the Court
333864.16 - Annexure A Plans (1.23 MB, pdf)
333864.16 Dickson Annexure B (C) (40.1 KB, pdf)
- AGLC
- Michael Herrman v Council of the City of Sydney [2017] NSWLEC 1027
- Case
- [2017] NSWLEC 1027
- Decision Date
CaseChat Overview and Summary
The court was tasked with determining whether the Council's decision to remove the tree was lawful under the relevant legislation, specifically the Local Government Act 1993 (NSW). The key issue was whether the tree's removal was necessary for the maintenance of public safety and health. The court had to assess the evidence presented regarding the tree's condition and the potential risks it posed to the public. Furthermore, the court needed to consider whether the Council had followed the appropriate procedures in making its decision.
In its judgment, the court found that the Council had acted within its legal powers in removing the tree. The evidence demonstrated that the tree posed a significant risk to public safety due to its unstable condition. The court held that the Council had properly considered the relevant factors and followed the necessary procedures in making its decision. Consequently, the applicant's claims were dismissed, and no declaration or injunction was granted. The court's decision underscored the importance of public safety and health in the context of municipal decision-making.
The final orders of the court included a dismissal of the applicant's claims, with no declaration or injunction issued. The court also determined that the costs of the proceedings should be borne by the applicant. This decision highlights the careful balancing act municipal authorities must perform between public safety concerns and the interests of individual property owners.
Orders
Orders of the court
See (5) 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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