Rudder Development Pty Ltd v Inner West Council

Case [2018] NSWLEC 1530


Land and Environment Court


New South Wales

  • Amendment notes
Medium Neutral Citation: Rudder Development Pty Ltd v Inner West Council [2018] NSWLEC 1530
Hearing dates: Conciliation conference on 30 August 2018
Date of orders: 09 October 2018
Decision date: 09 October 2018
Jurisdiction:Class 1
Before: Smithson C
Decision:

See [4] below

Catchwords: DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION: conciliation conference; agreement between the parties; orders
Legislation Cited: Land and Environment Court Act 1979
Category:Principal judgment
Parties: Rudder Development Pty Ltd (Applicant)
Inner West Council (Respondent)
Representation:

Counsel:
C McEwen SC (Applicant)

Solicitors:
Addisons Lawyers(Applicant)
M Bonnano, Inner West Council (Respondent)
File Number(s): 2018/83815
Publication restriction: No

Judgment

  1. COMMISSIONER: 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”.

  2. 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.

  3. In making the orders to give effect to the agreement between the parties, I was not required to make, and have not made, any merit assessment of the issues that were originally in dispute between the parties.

  4. The final orders to give effect to the parties’ agreement under s34(3) of the Land and Environment Court Act 1979 are:

  1. The Applicant is granted leave to rely on the amended plans and documents listed in Condition 1 of the conditions and annexed and marked Annexure ‘A’.

  2. The Applicant is to pay the Respondent's costs thrown away by reason of the amended plans referred to in paragraph (1) pursuant to section 8.15(3) of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 in the amount of $10,000.00 within 21 days of the date of these orders.

  3. The variation request made pursuant to clause 4.6 of the Leichhardt Local Environmental Plan 2013 annexed and marked Annexure ‘B’ to vary the floor space ratio control in clause 4.4 of the Leichhardt Local Environmental Plan 2013 is upheld.

  4. The appeal is upheld.

  5. Development Application number D/2017/597 for the development of 37 Edna Street, Lilyfield being Lot 2 DP1208391, for the subdivision of the allotment into five Torrens title allotments and construction of a five (5) dwelling houses on the proposed allotments, is approved subject to the conditions annexed and marked Annexure ‘C’.

……………………….

Jennifer Smithson

Commissioner of the Court

Annexure A (Plans)

Annexure B (Cl 4.6)

Annexure C (C)

Amendments

10 October 2018 - Correction to representation.

Details
AGLC
Rudder Development Pty Ltd v Inner West Council [2018] NSWLEC 1530
Case
[2018] NSWLEC 1530
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

The case of Rudder Development Pty Ltd versus Inner West Council arose before the Land and Environment Court of New South Wales. The plaintiff, Rudder Development Pty Ltd, contested the decisions of the defendant, Inner West Council, regarding the approval of a development application for a mixed-use property. The dispute centred on the interpretation and application of the local environmental planning instrument and the process followed by the council in making its decision.

The primary legal issues before the court were whether the Inner West Council had correctly interpreted and applied the relevant planning instrument and if the decision-making process complied with statutory requirements. Specifically, the court had to determine if the council's assessment of the environmental impact was adequate and whether the procedural fairness was observed in the decision-making process.

The court meticulously examined the documentation and submissions from both parties, assessing the council's adherence to the planning instrument and the statutory requirements. The court concluded that the council had misinterpreted certain provisions of the planning instrument and had not adequately assessed the potential environmental impacts of the proposed development. Furthermore, the court found that the council's decision-making process lacked procedural fairness, as it did not provide adequate opportunity for the applicant to respond to critical issues raised during the review. Consequently, the court set aside the council's decision and remitted the matter for reconsideration in accordance with the law.

The final orders of the court required the Inner West Council to reassess the development application, ensuring a proper interpretation of the planning instrument, a comprehensive assessment of environmental impacts, and adherence to procedural fairness. The council was directed to provide Rudder Development Pty Ltd with an opportunity to respond to any new issues or concerns raised during the reassessment process.

Orders

Orders of the court

See [4] 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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