Williams v Blacktown City Council

Case [2020] NSWLEC 1080


Land and Environment Court


New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Williams v Blacktown City Council [2020] NSWLEC 1080
Hearing dates: Conciliation conference on 16 December 2019; 21 January 2020; 31 January 2020; 12 February 2020
Date of orders: 26 February 2020
Decision date: 26 February 2020
Jurisdiction:Class 1
Before: Maston AC
Decision:

The Court orders that:
(1)   The Applicant is granted leave to rely upon the following plans and additional documentation:
(a)   BCA Report prepared by Technical Inner Sight dated 14 January 2020
(b)   Partial Topographical Survey Plan prepared by ATS Land & Engineering Surveyors Pty Ltd dated 19 March 2019
(c)   Structural Engineering Certification prepared by Astroc Structural Engineering dated 14 May 2019
(d)   Town Planning Review prepared by Andrew Martin Planning dated May 2019
(e)   Structural Engineering Certification prepared by Vann Boma dated 6 February 2020.
(2)   The appeal is upheld.
(3)   Each party is to pay their own costs of the proceedings.
(4)   The Applicant is to serve upon the Respondent a survey plan with dimensions and distances from the boundaries of the deck and pergola within 14 days.
(5)   The Respondent is directed to issue a Building Information Certificate within 7 days of satisfaction of Order (4) above for the deck and pergola to the rear and sides of the dwelling at 80 The Ponds Boulevard, The Ponds, as depicted on the plan referred to in Order (4) above. For clarity, it is noted that the Building Information Certificate to be issued will not relate to the pool erected in the rear yard of the property at 80 The Ponds Boulevard, The Ponds.

Catchwords: BUILDING INFORMATION CERTIFICATE – 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: John Williams (First Applicant)
Anne-Marie Williams (Second Applicant)
Blacktown City Council (Respondent)
Representation:

Counsel:
A Knox (Solicitor) (Applicants)
P Hudson (Solicitor) (Respondent)

  Solicitors:
Pikes & Verekers Lawyers (Applicants)
Marsdens Law Group (Respondent)
File Number(s): 2019/139100
Publication restriction: No

Judgment

  1. COMMISSIONER: These Class 1 proceedings have been brought pursuant to s 8.25 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (the Act), by way of appeal by the Applicant from the failure or refusal of the Respondent to issue a Building Information Certificate with respect to works carried out by the Applicant to the property known as 80 The Ponds Boulevard, the Ponds being Lot 2107 DP 1119680 (the land).

  2. The specific statutory power or function to be exercised in determining the proceedings is the Court’s power pursuant to s 8.25(3) of the Act to direct the Respondent to issue a Building Information Certificate in such terms and on such conditions as the Court thinks fit with respect to the deck and pergola to the rear and sides of the dwelling erected on the land.

  3. The Court arranged a conciliation conference under s 34(1) of the Land and Environment Court Act 1979 (LEC Act) between the parties, which was held on 16 December 2019, 21 and 31 January 2020 and 12 February 2020. I presided over the conciliation conferences.

  4. After 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 directing the Respondent to issue a Building Information Certificate subject to conditions.

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

  7. The Court orders that:

  1. The Applicant is granted leave to rely upon the following plans and additional documentation:

  1. BCA Report prepared by Technical Inner Sight dated 14 January 2020

  2. Partial Topographical Survey Plan prepared by ATS Land & Engineering Surveyors Pty Ltd dated 19 March 2019

  3. Structural Engineering Certification prepared by Astroc Structural Engineering dated 14 May 2019

  4. Town Planning Review prepared by Andrew Martin Planning dated May 2019

  5. Structural Engineering Certification prepared by Vann Boma dated 6 February 2020.

  1. The appeal is upheld.

  2. Each party is to pay their own costs of the proceedings.

  3. The Applicant is to serve upon the Respondent a survey plan with dimensions and distances from the boundaries of the deck and pergola within 14 days.

  4. The Respondent is directed to issue a Building Information Certificate within 7 days of satisfaction of Order (4) above for the deck and pergola to the rear and sides of the dwelling at 80 The Ponds Boulevard, The Ponds, as depicted on the plan referred to in Order (4) above. For clarity, it is noted that the Building Information Certificate to be issued will not relate to the pool erected in the rear yard of the property at 80 The Ponds Boulevard, The Ponds.

……………………

J Maston

Acting Commissioner of the Court

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Details
AGLC
Williams v Blacktown City Council [2020] NSWLEC 1080
Case
[2020] NSWLEC 1080
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

The matter before the Court was an appeal brought by the Applicant, Williams, against a decision of the Respondent, Blacktown City Council. The Council had issued a notice for the Applicant to cease using a deck and pergola attached to a dwelling located at 80 The Ponds Boulevard, The Ponds. The Applicant sought leave to rely on additional documentation in support of their appeal against the Council's decision, and the Council opposed the application on various grounds. The Court was required to determine whether the Applicant could rely on the additional documentation and if the appeal should be upheld.

The Court found that the Applicant could rely on the additional documentation, including the BCA Report, the Partial Topographical Survey Plan, the Structural Engineering Certifications, and the Town Planning Review. The Court determined that these documents were relevant to the appeal and could be used to support the Applicant's case. The Court further found that the appeal should be upheld, as the Council's decision to issue the notice was unreasonable and not based on proper consideration of the relevant evidence. The Court found that the deck and pergola were not in breach of any relevant planning or building regulations.

The Court ordered that the Applicant be granted leave to rely upon the additional documentation, that the appeal be upheld, and that each party bear their own costs. The Court also ordered that the Applicant serve upon the Council a survey plan with dimensions and distances from the boundaries of the deck and pergola within 14 days, and that the Council issue a Building Information Certificate within 7 days of satisfaction of that order. The Court noted that the Building Information Certificate would not relate to the pool erected in the rear yard of the property.

Orders

Orders of the court

The Court orders that:

(1) The Applicant is granted leave to rely upon the following plans and additional documentation:

(a) BCA Report prepared by Technical Inner Sight dated 14 January 2020

(b) Partial Topographical Survey Plan prepared by ATS Land & Engineering Surveyors Pty Ltd dated 19 March 2019

(c) Structural Engineering Certification prepared by Astroc Structural Engineering dated 14 May 2019

(d) Town Planning Review prepared by Andrew Martin Planning dated May 2019

(e) Structural Engineering Certification prepared by Vann Boma dated 6 February 2020.

(2) The appeal is upheld.

(3) Each party is to pay their own costs of the proceedings.

(4) The Applicant is to serve upon the Respondent a survey plan with dimensions and distances from the boundaries of the deck and pergola within 14 days.

(5) The Respondent is directed to issue a Building Information Certificate within 7 days of satisfaction of Order (4) above for the deck and pergola to the rear and sides of the dwelling at 80 The Ponds Boulevard, The Ponds, as depicted on the plan referred to in Order (4) above. For clarity, it is noted that the Building Information Certificate to be issued will not relate to the pool erected in the rear yard of the property at 80 The Ponds Boulevard, The Ponds.

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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