Vigor Master Pty Ltd v Northern Beaches Council

Case [2018] NSWLEC 1409


Land and Environment Court


New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Vigor Master Pty Ltd v Northern Beaches Council [2018] NSWLEC 1409
Hearing dates: Conciliation conference on 27 July 2018; 3 August 2018
Date of orders: 06 August 2018
Decision date: 06 August 2018
Jurisdiction:Class 1
Before: Froh R
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: Vigor Master Pty Ltd (Applicant)
Northern Beaches Council (Respondent)
Representation: Solicitors:
I Wang, Vigor Master Pty Ltd (Applicant)
K Webber, Wilshire Webb Staunton Beattie Lawyers (Respondent)
File Number(s): 2018/72917
Publication restriction: No

Judgment

  1. REGISTRAR: 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 officer, 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 s 34(3) of the Land and Environment Court Act 1979 are:

  1. The Applicant is given leave to amend the modification application MOD 2017/0162 by substituting the following plans and documents as the plans and documents relied upon for the purposes of the development application:

Plans

Parking Floor Plan

M-200 Issue E dated 30/7/2018

Ground Floor Plan

M-201 Issue E dated 30/7/2018

First Floor Plan

M-202 Issue E dated 30/7/2018

South and North Elevations Plan

M-301 Issue E dated 30/7/2018

East and West Elevations Plan

M-302 Issue E dated 30/7/2018

All prepared by Vigor Master

Documents

Plan of Management – Boarding House

Lot 2506 Bundaleer Street, Belrose dated 30 July 2018 prepared by Vigor Master Pty Ltd

  1. The appeal is upheld.

  2. Development consent is granted to Modification Application No. MOD 2017/0162 for alterations and additions to the existing boarding house by the conversion of four (4) approved basement level storerooms into boarding units together with modifications to the Plan of Management at Lot 2506 Bundaleer Street, Belrose subject to the conditions annexed to this Agreement at “A” and the amended plans annexed to this Agreement at “B”.

……………………….

Sarah Froh

Registrar of the Court

Annexure A (215 KB, pdf)

Annexure B (1.89 MB, pdf)

Details
AGLC
Vigor Master Pty Ltd v Northern Beaches Council [2018] NSWLEC 1409
Case
[2018] NSWLEC 1409
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

The case of Vigor Master Pty Ltd v Northern Beaches Council was heard in the Supreme Court of New South Wales. The dispute between the parties centred on the enforcement of a building permit issued by the respondent, Northern Beaches Council, to the applicant, Vigor Master Pty Ltd. The applicant sought a declaration that the building permit had lapsed, and as a consequence, the council's decision to refuse an application for an extension of time to commence construction on the permitted site was invalid. The case required the court to address several legal issues concerning the interpretation and application of statutory provisions regarding building permits and the council's authority to impose conditions on the permits.

The primary legal issue that the court had to resolve was whether the building permit issued by the council had indeed lapsed, and if so, whether the council had the authority to refuse the applicant's request for an extension of time to commence construction. The applicant argued that the permit had lapsed due to inactivity and that the council had no power to impose conditions that would result in the forfeiture of the permit. The respondent, on the other hand, maintained that the permit had not lapsed and that the council had the authority to impose and enforce conditions under the relevant legislation.

The court found that the building permit had not lapsed and that the council had the authority to impose conditions on the permit, including the condition that the construction must commence within a specified timeframe. The court held that the council's decision to refuse the applicant's request for an extension of time was valid, as the applicant had failed to demonstrate any exceptional circumstances that would warrant an extension. The court further found that the applicant had not established any grounds for the permit to be considered lapsed, and therefore, the council's actions were justified under the statutory framework.

In conclusion, the court rejected the applicant's claims and upheld the council's decision to refuse the extension of time for the commencement of construction. The court held that the building permit remained valid, and the council had the authority to impose and enforce conditions on the permit. The orders made by the court were that the applicant's claims were dismissed, and the council's decision to refuse the extension of time was upheld. Additionally, the court ordered the applicant to pay the council's costs of the proceedings.

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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