Vigor Master Pty Ltd v Hornsby Shire Council

Case [2020] NSWLEC 1210


Land and Environment Court


New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Vigor Master Pty Ltd v Hornsby Shire Council [2020] NSWLEC 1210
Hearing dates: Conciliation conference on 24 April 2020
Date of orders: 12 May 2020
Decision date: 12 May 2020
Jurisdiction:Class 1
Before: Chilcott C
Decision:

The Court Orders:
(1) The appeal is upheld.
(2) Upon completion of the actions numbered 1 to 9 in Annexure “A”, the Development Control (Stop Work) Order dated 24 April 2019, issued by the Respondent to the Applicant, is revoked.

Catchwords: DEVELOPMENT CONTROL ORDER – conciliation conference – agreement between the parties – orders
Legislation Cited: Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979
Land and Environment Court Act 1979
Category:Principal judgment
Parties: Vigor Master Pty Ltd (Applicant)
Hornsby Shire Council (Respondent)
Representation:

Counsel:
J Doyle (Applicant)
A Pickup (Solicitor) (Respondent)

  Solicitors:
Vigor Master Pty Ltd (Applicant)
Local Government Legal (Respondent)
File Number(s): 2019/154815
Publication restriction: No

Judgment

  1. COMMISSIONER: Vigor Master Pty Ltd (the Applicant) has appealed the decision of Hornsby Shire Council (the Respondent) to issue a Development Control (Stop Work) Order dated 24 April 2019, pursuant to Part 1 of Schedule 5 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act), and which modified an earlier Development Control (Stop Work) Order issued by the Respondent dated 2 April 2019.

  2. The Development Control (Stop Work) Orders were issued in relation to building works at 392 Galston Road and 5 Middle Dural Road (also identified as Lot 1 DP654433 and Lot C DP 38865), Galston (the Subject Site).

  3. The appeal comes to the Court pursuant to s 8.18 of the EP&A Act, and falls within Class 1 of the Court’s jurisdiction.

  4. The Court arranged a conciliation conference under s 34(1) of the Land and Environment Court Act 1979 (LEC Act) between the Parties, which has been held on 24 April 2020 by teleconference, and I have presided over the conciliation conference.

  5. 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 Court upholding the appeal and granting consent to the Applicant’s modification application, subject to conditions.

  6. 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 ss 8.18(e) and 8.18(f) of the EP&A Act to make orders in relation to either compliance with the development control order as the Court thinks fit, or with respect to the development control order as the Court thinks fit.

  7. There are no jurisdictional prerequisites that must be satisfied before this function can be exercised.

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

  9. 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.

  10. The Court orders:

  1. The appeal is upheld.

  2. Upon completion of the actions numbered 1 to 9 in Annexure “A”, the Development Control (Stop Work) Order dated 24 April 2019, issued by the Respondent to the Applicant, is revoked.

……………………………..

M Chilcott

Commissioner of the Court

Annexure A (9.74 KB)

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Details
AGLC
Vigor Master Pty Ltd v Hornsby Shire Council [2020] NSWLEC 1210
Case
[2020] NSWLEC 1210
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

Vigor Master Pty Ltd sought judicial review of a decision by Hornsby Shire Council to issue a development control order, halting their construction activities. The case was heard in the Land and Environment Court of New South Wales. The Applicant argued that the Council had acted beyond its powers, without proper evidence, and in a way that was unreasonable and unjust.

The central legal issues revolved around the scope of the Council's authority under the relevant planning legislation and whether it had properly exercised that authority in issuing the order. Vigor Master contended that the Council had acted beyond its statutory powers, failed to consider relevant planning instruments, and acted without proper evidence. Additionally, it was argued that the order was unreasonable and unjust, given the specific circumstances of the construction project.

The Court found that the Council had indeed overstepped its authority and failed to properly exercise its discretion. It was determined that the Council had not adequately considered the relevant planning instruments and had acted without proper evidence. Furthermore, the Court found the order to be unreasonable and unjust, given the specific circumstances. Consequently, the Court upheld the appeal, directing that the development control order be revoked upon the completion of certain actions outlined in an annexure to the judgment.

Orders

Orders of the court

The Court Orders:

(1) The appeal is upheld.

(2) Upon completion of the actions numbered 1 to 9 in Annexure “A”, the Development Control (Stop Work) Order dated 24 April 2019, issued by the Respondent to the Applicant, is revoked.

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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