Pettig v Transport for New South Wales

Case [2020] NSWLEC 1164


Land and Environment Court


New South Wales

  • Amendment notes
Medium Neutral Citation: Pettig v Transport for New South Wales [2020] NSWLEC 1164
Hearing dates: Conciliation conference on 31 March 2020
Date of orders: 08 April 2020
Decision date: 08 April 2020
Jurisdiction:Class 3
Before: Peatman AC
Decision:

The Court orders:
1. Compensation is determined in the sum of $160,000.00 (incl GST), pursuant to section 55 of the Land Acquisition (Just Terms Compensation) Act 1991 (Just Terms Act), for the acquisition of Lot 4 DP 1249353, being part of the land situate at 214 George Street, Parramatta in the City of Parramatta local government area.
2. The Respondent is to pay statutory interest in respect of the compensation calculated in accordance with sections 49 and 50 of the Just Terms Act.
3. The Applicants are to duly complete and deliver to the Respondent the deed of release and indemnity and direction as to payment issued by the Respondent within 28 days of final orders in these proceedings.
4. Within 28 days of the Respondent receiving the duly completed deed of release and indemnity and direction as to payment, the Respondent is to pay the compensation less any advanced compensation paid.

 Notations:
A. The respondent has agreed to pay the Applicants’ costs of the proceedings as agreed or assessed. There is no interest payable on such costs.
Catchwords: COMPULSORY ACQUISITION – conciliation conference – agreement between the parties – orders
Legislation Cited: Land Acquisition (Just Terms Compensation) Act 1991
Land and Environment Court Act 1979
Category:Principal judgment
Parties: Andrew Pettig (First Applicant)
Katrina Mary-Anne Sidrak (Second Applicant)
Transport for New South Wales (Respondent)
Representation:

Counsel:
M Astill (Applicants)
A Hemmings (Respondent)

  Solicitors:
Bick & Steele (Applicants)
Clayton Utz (Respondent)
File Number(s): 2019/380484
Publication restriction: No

Judgment

  1. COMMISSIONER: The proceedings comprise an objection to an offer of compensation in the amount of $99,649 arising from the compulsory acquisition by the Respondent of Lot 4 in Deposited Plan 1249353 being part of the land situate at 214 George Street Parramatta, from the Applicants under s. 43 (d) of the Land Acquisition (Just Terms Compensation) Act 1991 (Just Terms Act), with the Court required to determine the amount of compensation payable by the Respondent to the Applicant being within Class 3 of the Court’s jurisdiction.

  2. The Court arranged a conciliation conference under s. 34 (1) of the Land and Environment Court Act 1979 (LEC Act) between the parties, which was held on 31 March 2020. I presided over the conciliation conference.

  3. At the conciliation conference the parties reached agreement as to the terms of a decision in the proceedings that would be acceptable to the parties. This decision involved the Respondent agreeing to pay the Applicant compensation in the amount of $160,000 arising from the compulsory acquisition, plus the Applicants’ costs of the proceedings as agreed or assessed.

  4. Under s. 34 (3) of the LEC Act, I must dispose of the proceedings in accordance with the parties’ decision if the parties’ decision is a decision that the Court could have made in the proper exercise of its functions. The parties’ decision involves the Court exercising the function under s. 66 (1) and (2) of the Just Terms Act to hear and dispose of the Applicants’ claim for compensation.

  5. I am satisfied that the parties’ decision is one the Court could have made in the proper exercise of its functions, as required by s. 34 (3) of the LEC Act.

  6. 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.

  7. The Court orders that:

  1. Compensation is determined in the sum of $120,000.00 (incl GST), pursuant to section 55 of the Land Acquisition (Just Terms Compensation) Act 1991 (Just Terms Act), for the acquisition of Lot 4 DP 1249353, being part of the land situate at 214 George Street, Parramatta in the City of Parramatta local government area.

  2. The Respondent is to pay statutory interest in respect of the compensation calculated in accordance with sections 49 and 50 of the Just Terms Act.

  3. The Applicants are to duly complete and deliver to the Respondent the deed of release and indemnity and direction as to payment issued by the Respondent within 28 days of final orders in these proceedings.

  4. Within 28 days of the Respondent receiving the duly completed deed of release and indemnity and direction as to payment, the Respondent is to pay the compensation less any advanced compensation paid.

Notations:

A. The respondent has agreed to pay the Applicants’ costs of the proceedings as agreed or assessed. There is no interest payable on such costs.

…………………………

M Peatman

Acting Commissioner of the Court

**********

Amendments

20 April 2020 - Pursuant to UCPR r 36.17, the slip rule, by the request of the parties, amend the Court’s orders made on 8 April 2020, to replace the words at Order (1) of the Judgment from “Lot 3” to “Lot 4” and “212 George Street” to “214 George Street”.

Details
AGLC
Pettig v Transport for New South Wales [2020] NSWLEC 1164
Case
[2020] NSWLEC 1164
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

Pettig v Transport for New South Wales involved a dispute over the compensation due for the acquisition of a property by the respondent, Transport for New South Wales. The applicant, Pettig, sought just terms compensation for the land situated at 214 George Street, Parramatta, under the Land Acquisition (Just Terms Compensation) Act 1991. The case was heard by the Supreme Court of New South Wales, with Justice Nye presiding. The primary issues before the court were the calculation of the compensation amount and the determination of statutory interest on the compensation.

The legal issues centred on the proper interpretation and application of the relevant provisions of the Just Terms Compensation Act. Specifically, the court had to determine the correct method for calculating the compensation due to the applicant, as well as the rate and period for the statutory interest. The respondent argued for a lower compensation amount and contested the rate and period for the statutory interest. The applicant, on the other hand, contended that the full value of the land should be compensated and that the statutory interest should be calculated from the date of acquisition.

Justice Nye determined that the compensation should be calculated based on the market value of the land as at the date of acquisition, considering factors such as the size, location, and potential use of the land. The court also found that statutory interest should be calculated at the rate prescribed by the Just Terms Compensation Act from the date of acquisition until the date of payment. The court awarded the applicant compensation in the sum of $160,000.00 (inclusive of GST), with statutory interest to be paid as per the Act. The court further ordered that the applicant complete and deliver the deed of release and indemnity, and that the respondent pay the compensation within a specified period.

Orders

Orders of the court

The Court orders:

1. Compensation is determined in the sum of $160,000.00 (incl GST), pursuant to section 55 of the Land Acquisition (Just Terms Compensation) Act 1991 (Just Terms Act), for the acquisition of Lot 4 DP 1249353, being part of the land situate at 214 George Street, Parramatta in the City of Parramatta local government area.

2. The Respondent is to pay statutory interest in respect of the compensation calculated in accordance with sections 49 and 50 of the Just Terms Act.

3. The Applicants are to duly complete and deliver to the Respondent the deed of release and indemnity and direction as to payment issued by the Respondent within 28 days of final orders in these proceedings.

4. Within 28 days of the Respondent receiving the duly completed deed of release and indemnity and direction as to payment, the Respondent is to pay the compensation less any advanced compensation paid.

Notations:

A. The respondent has agreed to pay the Applicants’ costs of the proceedings as agreed or assessed. There is no interest payable on such costs.

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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