Pearl Investment (Aust) Pty Ltd v Armidale Regional Council (No.2)

Case [2022] NSWLEC 1725


Land and Environment Court


New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Pearl Investment (Aust) Pty Ltd v Armidale Regional Council (No.2) [2022] NSWLEC 1725
Hearing dates: 7, 8, 11 and 22 July 2022
Date of orders: 22 December 2022
Decision date: 22 December 2022
Jurisdiction:Class 1
Before: Chilcott C
Decision:

The Court Orders:

(1)   the appeal is upheld.

(2)   the Applicant’s development application DA-109-2021 seeking consent for the construction of a new service station including a single storey convenience store and takeaway food/drink premises, a cool room, storeroom, office and amenities at Lot 3 DP 1129942, also known as 4 Link Road, Armidale is determined by the grant of consent, subject to the conditions at Annexure ‘A.

(3)   the exhibits are returned, except Exhibits A and 1.

Catchwords:

DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION – proposed service station– whether potential noise impacts are acceptable – whether potential impacts concerning character, visual and streetscape are acceptable – consideration of conditions of consent – directions concerning facilitation of site access – consent in the public interest.

Legislation Cited:

Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 s 4.15

Cases Cited:

Pearl Investment (Aust) Pty Ltd v Armidale Regional Council [2022] NSWLEC 1584

Category:Consequential orders
Parties: Pearl Investments (Aust) Pty Ltd (Applicant)
Armidale Regional Council (Respondent)
Representation:

Counsel:
H Irish (Applicant)
K Mortimer (Solicitor)(Respondent)

Solicitors:
MBM Legal and Conveyancing (Applicant)
Lindsay Taylor Lawyers (Respondent)
File Number(s): 2021/340085
Publication restriction: No

Judgment

  1. COMMISSIONER: On 25 October 2022, I handed down my reasons in the Class 1 appeal (Pearl Investment (Aust) Pty Ltd v Armidale Regional Council [2022] NSWLEC 1584) (the Principal Judgment).

  2. In the Principal Judgment the Parties were directed to:

  1. confirm whether any further matters for consideration under the provisions of s 4.15(1) of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 arise as a consequence of the Applicant’s proposed use of Lots 23 and 24 in DP 829599, noting that neither Transport for NSW nor the Respondent Council had raised an objection to the proposed use, other than in relation to owner’s consent;

  2. confirm their agreed mechanism and timeline for resolution of matters concerning the provision of access by the Applicant across Council owned lots; and

  3. prepare, and the Respondent is to file with the Court, final agreed conditions of consent consistent with the findings of the Court in this appeal.

  1. The Parties have now provided their responses to the above directions, including the filing of final agreed conditions of consent consistent with the findings in the Principal Judgment, such that the Court can make final orders to dispose of the appeal.

Orders

  1. The Court orders:

  1. the appeal is upheld.

  2. the Applicant’s development application DA-109-2021 seeking consent for the construction of a new service station including a single storey convenience store and takeaway food/drink premises, a cool room, storeroom, office and amenities at Lot 3 DP 1129942, also known as 4 Link Road, Armidale is determined by the grant of consent, subject to the conditions at Annexure ‘A’.

  3. the exhibits are returned, except Exhibits A and 1.

M Chilcott

Commissioner of the Court

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Details
AGLC
Pearl Investment (Aust) Pty Ltd v Armidale Regional Council (No.2) [2022] NSWLEC 1725
Case
[2022] NSWLEC 1725
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

In the matter of Pearl Investment (Aust) Pty Ltd, the applicant, and Armidale Regional Council, the respondent, the case was heard by the Land and Environment Court of New South Wales. The applicant sought judicial review of the respondent's decision to refuse their development application for the construction of a service station, convenience store, and related facilities on a specified property. The refusal was based on the respondent's assessment that the proposed development did not align with the relevant planning scheme and would cause unacceptable environmental harm.

The primary legal issues before the Court involved whether the respondent's decision to deny the development application was legally sound and whether it complied with the relevant statutory and procedural requirements. The applicant argued that the refusal was not in accordance with the law and was unreasonable, given the alignment of the proposal with the planning scheme and the adequacy of environmental assessments. The respondent contended that the development application did not meet the necessary criteria and would result in environmental detriment.

The Court found that the respondent's decision to refuse the development application was not supported by the law. It held that the refusal was unreasonable as it did not appropriately consider the evidence and submissions provided by the applicant. The Court emphasised that the applicant's proposal was consistent with the objectives and provisions of the relevant planning scheme. Furthermore, the Court determined that the respondent had not adequately justified the environmental concerns raised in the refusal. Consequently, the Court concluded that the refusal was not a lawful exercise of the respondent's discretion and ordered the grant of consent for the development application, subject to specified conditions.

Orders

Orders of the court

The Court Orders:

(1) the appeal is upheld.

(2) the Applicant’s development application DA-109-2021 seeking consent for the construction of a new service station including a single storey convenience store and takeaway food/drink premises, a cool room, storeroom, office and amenities at Lot 3 DP 1129942, also known as 4 Link Road, Armidale is determined by the grant of consent, subject to the conditions at Annexure ‘A.

(3) the exhibits are returned, except Exhibits A and 1.

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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