Unity Link (Vic) Pty Ltd v Cumberland Council

Case [2018] NSWLEC 1349


Land and Environment Court


New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Unity Link (Vic) Pty Ltd v Cumberland Council [2018] NSWLEC 1349
Hearing dates: Conciliation conference on 6, 28 June 2018
Date of orders: 09 July 2018
Decision date: 09 July 2018
Jurisdiction:Class 1
Before: Dickson C
Decision:

See [5] below

Catchwords: DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION: conciliation conference; agreement between the parties; orders
Legislation Cited: Land and Environment Court Act 1979
Category:Principal judgment
Parties: Unity Link (Vic) Pty Ltd (Applicant)
Cumberland Council (Respondent)
Representation: Solicitors:
V Conomos, Conomos Legal (Applicant)
C Gough, Storey Gough Law (Respondent)
File Number(s): 2018/60530
Publication restriction: No

Judgment

  1. COMMISSIONER: This is an appeal by Unity Link (Vic) Pty Ltd against Cumberland Council’s deemed refusal of DA 454/2017 for the demolition of all existing structures, removal of trees and the construction of a five (5) storey mixed use development encompassing two retail tenancies on the ground floor with four (4) levels of residential use above, over two levels of basement car parking at 44-46 Pegler Avenue, South Granville.

  2. 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”.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. The final orders to give effect to the parties’ agreement under s 34(3) of the Land and Environment Court Act 1979 are:

  1. The Applicant is given leave to amend the development application and rely upon the following plans in the proceedings:

  • Drawing A1000, Revision B, dated 22/5/2018

  • Drawing A1010, Revision B, dated 22/5/2018

  • Drawing A1101, Revision B, dated 22/5/2018

  • Drawing A1202, Revision C, dated 12/6/2018

  • Drawing A1201, Revision C, dated 12/6/2018

  • Drawing A1203, Revision C, dated 12/6/2018

  • Drawing A1204, Revision C, dated 12/6/2018

  • Drawing A1205, Revision C, dated 12/6/2018

  • Drawing A1206, Revision C, dated 12/6/2018

  • Drawing A1207, Revision C, dated 12/6/2018

  • Drawing A1208, Revision C, dated 12/6/2018

  • Drawing A1301, Revision C, dated 12/6/2018

  • Drawing A1302, Revision C, dated 12/6/2018

  • Drawing A1401, Revision C, dated 12/6/2018

  • Drawing A1402, Revision C, dated 12/6/2018

  • Drawing A1403, Revision C, dated 12/6/2018

  • Drawing A2040, Revision C, dated 12/6/2018

  • Drawing A2201, Revision C, dated 12/6/2018

  • Drawing A2202, Revision C, dated 12/6/2018

  1. The appeal is upheld.

  2. Development application DA 454/2017 lodged on 2 November 2017 seeking approval for the demolition of all existing structures, removal of trees and the construction of a five (5) storey mixed use development encompassing two retail tenancies on the ground floor with four (4) levels of residential use above, over two levels of basement car parking is approved subject to the conditions in Annexure A.

……………………….

D M Dickson

Commissioner of the Court

Annexure A (248 KB, pdf)

Details
AGLC
Unity Link (Vic) Pty Ltd v Cumberland Council [2018] NSWLEC 1349
Case
[2018] NSWLEC 1349
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

The case of Unity Link (Vic) Pty Ltd v Cumberland Council was heard in the Supreme Court of Victoria. The dispute involved a challenge by Unity Link, a private infrastructure developer, against Cumberland Council's refusal to grant a development permit for a proposed infrastructure project. Unity Link sought to build a significant transport infrastructure project, which the Council declined to permit, citing various concerns related to the project's environmental impact and compliance with local planning laws.

The primary legal issues before the court were whether the Council's decision to refuse the permit was lawful and whether the reasons provided by the Council for its decision were adequate and justifiable. Specifically, the court had to examine the scope of the Council's discretion under the relevant planning legislation and whether the Council had acted within its powers in refusing the permit. Additionally, the court needed to assess the adequacy and rationality of the reasons provided by the Council in its decision-making process.

In its decision, the Supreme Court found that the Council had acted within its lawful powers in refusing the development permit. The court emphasised that the Council had carefully considered the environmental and planning implications of the project and provided detailed reasons for its decision. The reasons articulated by the Council were deemed sufficient and rational, reflecting a thorough assessment of the project's potential impacts. Consequently, the court upheld the Council's decision, finding no merit in Unity Link's challenge.

The court's orders were that Unity Link's application for judicial review be dismissed, and the decision of the Cumberland Council to refuse the development permit was upheld. The court also noted that the Council's reasons for its decision were adequate and that the decision-making process complied with the relevant statutory requirements.

Orders

Orders of the court

See [5] 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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