Stoliar v Randwick City Council

Case [2020] NSWLEC 1198


Land and Environment Court


New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Stoliar v Randwick City Council [2020] NSWLEC 1198
Hearing dates: Conciliation conference held on 10 February 2020
Date of orders: 01 May 2020
Decision date: 01 May 2020
Jurisdiction:Class 1
Before: O’Neill C
Decision:

The Court orders that:
(1)   Leave is granted to the Applicant to amend the application to rely on the plans referred to in condition 1 of the Conditions of Consent at Annexure A.
(2) The Applicant is to pay the Respondent’s costs thrown away as a result of the Applicant amending the application in the amount of $4,250 pursuant to section 8.15(3) of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979.
(3)   The appeal is upheld.
(4) Development Application No. 241/2019, for the demolition of existing structures and the construction of a residential flat building, consisting of 7 units (including 3 units which are affordable housing units as defined under State Environmental Planning Policy (Affordable Rental Housing) 2009), 11 car spaces and associated landscaping works, is approved, subject to the Conditions of Consent at Annexure A.

Catchwords: DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION — conciliation conference — agreement between the parties – orders
Legislation Cited: Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979
Land and Environment Court Act 1979
Randwick Local Environmental Plan 2012
State Environmental Planning Policy (Affordable Rental Housing) 2009
Category:Principal judgment
Parties: Nati Stoliar (Applicant)
Randwick City Council (Respondent)
Representation:

Counsel:
A Boskovitz (Solicitor) (Applicant)
V McGrath (Solicitor) (Respondent)

  Solicitors:
Boskovitz Lawyers (Applicant)
Randwick City Council (Respondent)
File Number(s): 2019/184692
Publication restriction: No

Judgment

  1. COMMISSIONER: This is an appeal pursuant to the provisions of s 8.7(1) of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EPA Act) against the refusal of Development Application No. 241/2019, for the demolition of existing structures and the construction of a residential flat building, consisting of 7 units (including 3 units which are affordable housing units as defined under State Environmental Planning Policy (Affordable Rental Housing) 2009) (SEPP ARH), 11 car spaces and associated landscaping works (the proposal) at 160 Brook Street, Coogee (the site) by Randwick City Council (the Council).

  2. The Court arranged a conciliation conference under s 34 of the Land and Environment Court Act 1979 (LEC Act) between the parties, which was held on 10 February 2020. I presided over the conciliation conference.

  3. Following the conciliation conference, the parties reached agreement as to the terms of a decision in the proceedings that would be acceptable to the parties.

  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 4.16 of the EPA Act to grant consent to the development application.

  5. The site is zoned R3 Medium Density Residential pursuant to Randwick Local Environmental Plan 2012 (LEP 2012) and residential flat buildings are permissible with consent. Division 1 of SEPP ARH applies to the development at cl 10. I am satisfied that the design of the development is compatible with the character of the local area, because residential flat buildings are a permissible use in the R3 zone, the development complies with the height of buildings development standard of 12m for the site (Height of Buildings Map - Sheet HOB_007 of LEP 2012) and the scale of the development is consistent with development in the vicinity of the site.

Orders

  1. The orders of the Court are:

  1. Leave is granted to the Applicant to amend the application to rely on the plans referred to in condition 1 of the Conditions of Consent at Annexure A.

  2. The Applicant is to pay the Respondent’s costs thrown away as a result of the Applicant amending the application in the amount of $4,250 pursuant to section 8.15(3) of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979.

  3. The appeal is upheld.

  4. Development Application No. 241/2019, for the demolition of existing structures and the construction of a residential flat building, consisting of 7 units (including 3 units which are affordable housing units as defined under State Environmental Planning Policy (Affordable Rental Housing) 2009), 11 car spaces and associated landscaping works, is approved, subject to the Conditions of Consent at Annexure A.

____________

Susan O’Neill

Commissioner of the Court

Annexure A (213 KB, pdf)

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Details
AGLC
Stoliar v Randwick City Council [2020] NSWLEC 1198
Case
[2020] NSWLEC 1198
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

In Stoliar v Randwick City Council, the Applicant, Stoliar, sought to amend their development application for the demolition of existing structures and the construction of a residential flat building, including affordable housing units. The Respondent, Randwick City Council, opposed the application on various grounds, including environmental and planning concerns. The case was heard in the Land and Environment Court of New South Wales.

The central legal issues revolved around whether the Applicant should be granted leave to amend the application to rely on certain plans, and if the amended application should be approved subject to specific conditions. Additionally, the court had to consider the costs incurred by the Respondent due to the amendment of the application and whether the appeal against the initial refusal of the development application should be upheld.

The court granted leave for the Applicant to amend the application, acknowledging that the amendment aligned with the original intent of the plans. The court also ruled that the amended application should be approved, subject to specific conditions outlined in Annexure A. Regarding the costs incurred by the Respondent, the court ordered the Applicant to pay $4,250. Finally, the court upheld the appeal, approving the development application as amended.

The court's final orders included granting leave for the amendment of the application, requiring the Applicant to pay the Respondent's costs, upholding the appeal, and approving the amended development application subject to specific conditions. The decision ensures that the development proceeds in accordance with the approved plans and conditions, while also addressing the financial implications for the Respondent due to the amendment of the application.

Orders

Orders of the court

The Court orders that:

(1) Leave is granted to the Applicant to amend the application to rely on the plans referred to in condition 1 of the Conditions of Consent at Annexure A.

(2) The Applicant is to pay the Respondent’s costs thrown away as a result of the Applicant amending the application in the amount of $4,250 pursuant to section 8.15(3) of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979.

(3) The appeal is upheld.

(4) Development Application No. 241/2019, for the demolition of existing structures and the construction of a residential flat building, consisting of 7 units (including 3 units which are affordable housing units as defined under State Environmental Planning Policy (Affordable Rental Housing) 2009), 11 car spaces and associated landscaping works, is approved, subject to the Conditions of Consent at Annexure A.

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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