Stephen Benneyworth v Northern Beaches Council

[2017] NSWLEC 1475

Land and Environment Court

New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation:	Stephen Benneyworth v Northern Beaches Council [2017] NSWLEC 1475
Hearing dates:	Conciliation conference on 31 August 2017
Date of orders:	01 September 2017
Decision date:	01 September 2017
Jurisdiction:	Class 1
Before:	Chilcott 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:	Stephen and Joanne Benneyworth (Applicant) Northern Beaches Council (Respondent)
Representation:	Solicitor: Mr G Green, Pikes & Verekers Lawyers (Applicant) Mr T Naylor, King & Wood Mallesons (Respondent)
File Number(s):	2017/135353
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 appeal is upheld.

2. Development application N0456/16 for the demolition of existing dwelling and construction of a new dwelling and associated landscaping at 31 Bynya Road, Palm Beach is approved subject to the conditions in Annexure “A” hereto.

……………………….

Commissioner Chilcott

135353.17 Chilcott (C) (148 KB, pdf)