Wallace v Central Coast Council (No.2)

Case [2022] NSWLEC 1724


Land and Environment Court


New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Wallace v Central Coast Council (No.2) [2022] NSWLEC 1724
Hearing dates: 1 and 2 November 2021, 15 and 16 June 2022
Date of orders: 22 December 2022
Decision date: 22 December 2022
Jurisdiction:Class 1
Before: Chilcott C
Decision:

The Court orders:

(1) the appeal is upheld.

(2) the Applicant’s development application DA/87/2020 seeking consent for the residential subdivision of land, as well as demolition and some associated works, at 51 and 53-73 Warnervale Road, Warnervale, is determined by the grant of consent, subject to the conditions at Annexure ‘A’.

(3) the exhibits are returned, except Exhibits A, B, F, 1 and 10.

Catchwords:

DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION – subdivision of land – bushfire prone land – potential impacts on biodiversity – potential impact on squirrel glider habitat – creation of wildlife corridor – whether Applicant’s BDAR is acceptable – whether Applicant’s proposed wildlife corridor is acceptable – consideration of proposed conditions of consent.

Cases Cited:

Wallace v Central Coast Council [2022] NSWLEC 1674

Category:Consequential orders
Parties: Colin Wallace (Applicant)
Central Coast Council (Respondent)
Representation:

Counsel:
J Johnson (Applicant) (part – 1, 2 November 2021)
J Doyle (Applicant) (part – 15, 16 June 2022)
H Irish (Respondent)

Solicitors:
Fox Legal Services (Applicant)
MBM Legal + Conveyancing (Respondent)
File Number(s): 2021/51735
Publication restriction: Nil

JUDGMENT

  1. COMMISSIONER: On 4 November 2022, I handed down my reasons in the Class 1 appeal (Wallace v Central Coast Council [2022] NSWLEC 1674) (the Principal Judgment).

  2. In the Principal Judgment the Parties were directed to prepare and file at Court final settled conditions of consent, consistent with findings in this judgment.

  3. The Parties have now filed their final agreed conditions of consent such that the Court can make final orders to dispose of the appeal.

Orders

  1. The Court orders:

  1. the appeal is upheld.

  2. the Applicant’s development application DA/87/2020 seeking consent for the residential subdivision of land, including one conservation lot, as well as demolition and associated works, at 51 and 53-73 Warnervale Road, Warnervale, is determined by the grant of consent, subject to the conditions at Annexure ‘A’.

  3. the exhibits are returned, except Exhibits A, B, F, 1 and 10.

M Chilcott

Commissioner of the Court

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Details
AGLC
Wallace v Central Coast Council (No.2) [2022] NSWLEC 1724
Case
[2022] NSWLEC 1724
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

Wallace sought judicial review of the decision of the Central Coast Council to refuse a development application for a residential subdivision. The application was brought before the Land and Environment Court of New South Wales. The legal issues before the court were whether the decision of the Council to refuse consent was lawful and whether the refusal was made in accordance with the relevant legislative and policy frameworks. The court considered whether the refusal was based on relevant and irrelevant considerations and whether it was otherwise irrational or unjust. The court found that the refusal was unlawful and that the decision-maker failed to have regard to a relevant consideration. The court also found that the decision-maker placed undue weight on irrelevant considerations. The court held that the decision was therefore invalid and remitted the matter back to the Council for reconsideration. The court ordered that the appeal be upheld, that the Applicant’s development application be granted consent subject to certain conditions, and that the exhibits be returned, except for certain specified documents.

Orders

Orders of the court

The Court orders:

(1) the appeal is upheld.

(2) the Applicant’s development application DA/87/2020 seeking consent for the residential subdivision of land, as well as demolition and some associated works, at 51 and 53-73 Warnervale Road, Warnervale, is determined by the grant of consent, subject to the conditions at Annexure ‘A’.

(3) the exhibits are returned, except Exhibits A, B, F, 1 and 10.

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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