Zoygroup Pty Ltd v North Sydney Council

[2012] NSWLEC 1249

Land and Environment Court

New South Wales

• Amendment notes

Medium Neutral Citation:

Zoygroup Pty Ltd v North Sydney Council [2012] NSWLEC 1249

Hearing dates:

21 & 22, 27August 2012

Decision date:

28 August 2012

Jurisdiction:

Class 1

Before:

Dixon C

Decision:

(1)The appeal is upheld.

(2)The Council is directed to forward to the Court conditions of consent which reflect the reasons for judgment within 7 days following which orders will be made in chambers.

Catchwords:

Appeal: - development application for a boarding house, affordable rental housing, permissibility - equivalent land use zone under the Standard Instrument, is the design compatible with the character of the local area.

Legislation Cited:

Environment Planning and Assessment Act 1979
North Sydney Local Environmental Plan 2001(LEP)
North Sydney Development Control Plan 2002
State Environmental Planning Policy (Affordable Rental Housing) 2009
State Environmental Planning Policy (Affordable Rental Housing) Amendment 2011

Cases Cited:

Carr v Goulbourn City Council (unreported, Cripps J, 21 June 1983)
MacDonald v Mosman Municipal Council (1999) 105 LGERA 49
Wehbe V Pittwater (2007) 156 LGERA 446
Winten Property Group Ltd V North Sydney Council (2001) 130 LGERA 79

Category:

Principal judgment

Parties:

Zoygroup Pty Ltd (Applicant)
North Sydney Council (Respondent)

Representation:

Counsel
Dr S Berveling (Applicant)
Mr A Pickles (Respondent)
Solicitors
Tresscox Lawyers (Applicant)
HWL Ebsworth Lawyers (Respondent)

File Number(s):

11186 of 2011

Extempore Judgment

This determination was given extemporaneously and has been edited prior to publication

Introduction

1. This is an appeal under s 97 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EPA Act) against North Sydney Council's refusal of an affordable housing development for a 63-room boarding house at 20 to 28 Brook Street, Crows Nest.

1. The application DA474/2010 was lodged with the Council on 28 November 2010 pursuant to the provisions of the State Environmental Planning Policy (Affordable Rental Housing) 2009 (SEPP ARH). After lodgment, SEPP ARH was amended. However, this application is caught by the saving and transitional provisions in cll 54A(2) and (3) in the State Environmental Planning Policy (Affordable Rental Housing) Amendment 2011. Those provisions require the application to be assessed as if the 2011 amendments had not been made; but, subject to considering whether the design of the development is compatible with the character of the local area.

1. The background facts, the statutory controls and the original contentions are set out in the Council's amended statement of facts and contentions dated 25 July 2012 (Exhibit 3). Since that date, however, the application has been amended and this appeal relates to the amended plans in Exhibit A and 12, the amended plans of management in Exhibit H, and, the Council's draft conditions of consent.

1. As a result of the amendments the main issues now concern the application of the SEPP ARH to this site and the development's compatibility with the character of the local area.

The Proposal

1. The proposal is described in the amended plan of management as a "new generation" boarding house located within close proximity to public transport and the North Shore CBD, Crows Nest and Cammeray local business districts, North Shore Private Hospital and various educational establishments/schools. It is envisaged that the boarding house will accommodate very low to moderate income individuals and couples such as health workers, educators, young executives, hospitality workers and other key workers who seek affordable and conveniently situated rental housing. The term 'boarding house' as used in the SEPP ARH relates to a residential building that:

• Is wholly or partly let in lodgings;
• Provides lodgers with a principal place of residence for three months or more;
• May have shared facilities, such as communal living room, bathroom kitchen or laundry;
• Has rooms, some or all of which may have private kitchen and bathroom facilities, that accommodate one or more lodgers;
• It does not include backpacker's accommodation, group homes; serviced apartments; seniors housing or hotel or motel accommodation.

1. The application seeks development consent to demolish five existing single dwellings to allow for the construction of a 63-room boarding house comprising:

Basement 1

1. Car parking spaces for seven residents (including three disabled spaces), and three staff spaces and thirteen motor bikes; and two bicycle storage racks (sixteen bikes in total); two service delivery spaces; seventy-one storage spaces (claimed to be a minimum 6 cu.m volume each); common laundry (five machines); garbage/recycle room (eighteen bins indicated); two lift cores; mechanical plant room; fire equipment room; two fire stairs; external air conditioning plant; 1:8 grade driveway and 1:5 grade driveway.

1. The driveway entry and part of the ramp are to be covered and an acoustic wall is to be constructed along part of the southern boundary adjacent to the rear town houses as detailed in Exhibit 12.

Ground floor

1. Passenger drop off space; driveway to basement; entry /reception /offices area; ten double bedrooms; five single bedrooms; common kitchen /living /dining area; disabled access WC; two lifts and two fire stairs; clothes drying area (140 total length).

Levels 1 to 3

1. Sixteen boarding rooms per floor; two common living rooms area 44 sq m each per floor each containing kitchen and disabled WC; two lifts and two stairs; two vertical ventilation shafts (approximately 2.2 m x 4.3 m each).

Equivalent zone

1. In order for the applicant to take advantage of the development incentives in the SEPP ARH it is necessary for the Court to form the opinion that Division 3 of Part 2 of ARH SEPP applies to this application for a boarding house. Clause 26 provides that the Division 3 of Part 2 only applies to land within certain nominated land use zones or within a land use zone that is equivalent to any of those zones. Land use zones under the SEPP ARH are those set out in the standard instrument (Exhibit 4).

1. The site is within the Residential C zone pursuant to North Sydney Local Environmental Plan 2001(LEP) and boarding houses and apartment buildings are a permissible use. However, the LEP was not made under s 33A of the EPA Act and the site is not within any zones specified in cl 26. Therefore, this application can only be assessed under the SEPP ARH if the Court is of the opinion that the Residential C zone is equivalent to any of the land use zones nominated in cl 26.

1. Clause 5(1) of the SEPP ARH provides guidance in determining whether a land use zone is equivalent to any land use zones nominated in cl 26. It states:

5 Interpretation-references to equivalent land use zones

(1) A reference in this Policy to a land use zone that is equivalent to a named land use zone is a reference to a land use zone under an environmental planning instrument that is not made as provided by section 33A (2) of the Act:

(a) That the Director-General has determined under clause 1.6 of State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008 is a land use zone in which equivalent land uses are permitted to those permitted in that named land use zone, or

(b) If no such determination has been made in respect of the particular zone, is a land use zone in which (in the opinion of the relevant authority) equivalent land uses are permitted to those permitted in that named land use zone.

....

Note. Land use zones that are named in this Policy are those set out in the standard instrument.

1. In this case the Director General has not made the determination referred to in cl 5(1)(a). Therefore, cl 5(1)(b) is relevant and the Court must form an opinion as to whether the land uses in the Residential C zone are equivalent to those permitted in the named land use zones.

1. The town planning experts Ms Francis for the applicant and Mr Layman for the Council address this issue at length in their joint report (Exhibit 5). In considering an equivalent zone Ms Francis compared the site with the R3 and R4 zones in the Council's Draft NS LEP 2009. She notes that boarding houses are permissible in each of those zones and the Residential C zone.

1. Ms Francis believes the equivalency of the zones one to another in the context of the SEPP ARH can be measured in several ways. One way would be in respect of the nature of the residential development permitted. In this respect, either the R3 or R4 zones could be considered to be equivalent to the Residential C zone with the majority of forms of residential development permitted in all zones. An alternative method is to compare the permissible uses in the zones. In this respect her evidence is that approximately 70 percent to 75 percent of the permissible uses in the Residential C zone are permissible in the R3 and R4 zone. While some of the definitions and descriptions are different she believes that the form of the development is similar.

1. Ms Francis notes that only the R4 zone and the Residential C zone allow residential flat buildings and because the exhibited draft LEP 2009 (which is currently with the Department for gazettal) zones the site R4 (with the surrounding zone R3) she considers the R4 zone to be of greater equivalency.

1. Mr Layman also adopts the direct comparison method. However, his evidence is that cl 26 of the SEPP ARH provides that Division 3 - Boarding Houses applies to land, which is equivalent to zones R1, R2, R3, R4, B1, B2 and B4 under the Standard Instrument. Relying on his comparison of uses set out in the table at pp 6-7 of Exhibit 5 Mr Layman forms the opinion that there are no equivalent zones in the Standard Instrument. He forms this opinion because none of the standard zoning uses matches with the Residential C zone under the LEP. At best his evidence is that the R1 Zone is most similar to the Residential C zone under the LEP because ten of the twenty-three listed uses for the Residential C zone are permitted in R1 Zone standard instrument. Relevantly, boarding houses is common to both zones. Mr Layman does not refer to draft LEP 2009.

Finding

1. I have considered the expert evidence and the parties' submissions on this issue. In my opinion the comparison undertaken by Mr Layman is envisage by cl 5(1)(b) of the Policy. In determining the equivalent zone cl 5(1)(b) invites a comparison between the permissible uses in the particular application with those permitted in the Standard Instrument and an opinion as to whether they are equivalent zones.

1. Mr Layman carries out this exercise in a table format at para 3.15 of the joint report (Exhibit C). He compares the permissible uses in the residential zones in the Standard Instrument with those permitted in the Residential C zone of this particular site.

1. I do not believe cl 5(1)(b) allows a comparison of the particular application with the exhibited draft LEP 2009 to determine this issue. Nor do I believe the clause asks the consent authority to form an opinion as to which of the standard zones is more equivalent or has exactly the same uses. The Standard Instrument is unlikely to ever have exactly the same land uses as a particular local planning instrument because it specifies a minimum land use table (Land Use Table - Direction 2 at p14 of Exhibit 4).

1. It seems to be that cl 5(1)(b) of the Policy requires the consent authority to compare permissible land uses and form an opinion as to whether they are equivalent or have the same effect.

1. Based on Mr Layman's evidence I am of the opinion that the Residential C zone is an equivalent zone to the R1 General Residential zone under the Standard Instrument. Both zones permit (with consent) boarding houses and residential flat buildings and share ten other common land uses.

1. Therefore, I am of the opinion that cl 26 of the Policy is satisfied and the SEPP ARH applies to this application. A boarding house may be developed on this site under cl 27 of the Policy subject to development consent.

Relationship with other environmental planning instruments

1. The SEPP ARH is not a code. It is a Policy with the aim to provide a consistent planning regime for the provision of affordable housing: cl3 (a) by "providing incentives by way of expanded zoning permissibility, floor space ratio bonuses and non discretionary development standards: cl 3(b). It sets mandatory development standards for boarding houses in cl 30 and non-discretionary development standards in cl 29. In assessing an application under the Policy the Court must also consider any relevant planning instrument provided that they are not inconsistent with the Policy. Clause 8 provides that the Policy prevails to the extent of any inconsistency. It states:

8 Relationship with other environmental planning instruments

If there is an inconsistency between this Policy and any other environmental planning instrument, whether made before or after the commencement of this Policy, this Policy prevails to the extent of the inconsistency.

1. In this case the planners agree that the provisions of the LEP and North Sydney Development Control Plan 2002 are relevant in my assessment of this application to the extent of any inconsistency with the SEPP ARH. At the hearing there was also discussion as to whether SEPP 65 (rule of thumb guidelines) are a relevant consideration in respect of a boarding house. I am of the opinion that they are relevant, however, the later Policy prevails to the extent of the inconsistency.

The Site

1. The site is located on the end of the Warringah Freeway exit ramp at a signalised T-Intersection and adjacent to the Warringah Freeway where it passes over Brook Street.  The site is well below the freeway level and falls from front to rear. It has an area of 2067 sq m and is of a regular shape with a 35.05 m frontage to Brook Street, rear boundary of 35.05 m and respective side boundaries of 58.95 m and 59 m to the north and south.

1. The site comprises five single-storey double brick residential dwelling houses. To the south of the site is a townhouse development at 18 Brook Street and beyond that is an older style three-storey residential flat building. Further south on both sides of Brook Street are single dwelling developments. To the west of the subject site is an older three-storey red brick residential flat building. To the north of the subject site is a townhouse development with a landscaped setback to the subject site.

1. The site slopes down gently approximately 2 m from south to north and features a row of fur trees adjacent to the southern boundary. A large Kauri Pine tree adjoins to the south. Other surrounding development includes one to two-storey dwelling houses to the south and a private tennis club located to the southwest. It is within 450 m from a bus stop on Willoughby Road between Chandos Street and Atchison Street and is about a 1.2 m walk to St Leonards Railway Station.

The evidence

1. The hearing commenced onsite with a view of the local area. It included an inspection of the site from the pedestrian path adjoining the freeway off ramp and from the under croft area of the freeway and properties adjoining the development.

1. At that time the Court also heard oral evidence from several objectors to the application. Some of those objectors had given evidence at the earlier s 34 conciliation conference, which I had facilitated at an earlier date. At the hearing it was agreed that the objectors' evidence taken at the s 34 conferences before me was evidence in this hearing. Generally, the residents' concerns about the development relate to its breach of the height limit and BHP under the LEP, increased traffic and parking problems and noise/amenity impacts.

1. At the hearing the Court received expert town planning evidence from Ms Francis on behalf of the applicant and Mr Layman on behalf of the Council (Exhibit 5). Mr Cooper and Mr Atkins prepared acoustic evidence and Mr Hollis and Mr McLaren addressed the traffic issues in their joint report (Exhibit 6).

Acoustic /Traffic

1. By the conclusion of the hearing the Council advised me that the amended plans, the amended plan of management and the Council's draft conditions resolved the traffic and acoustic issues raised by this application.

Clause 30 - Mandatory controls under the SEPP ARH

1. This application complies with the mandatory controls in cl 30 of ARH SEPP.

Clause 29 - Standards that cannot be used to refuse the development

Height

1. This application does not comply with cl 29(2)(a) of the Policy because it breaches the 12 m maximum building height limit under cl 17 (6) of the LEP. Clause 17 (6) states: "Where a maximum height is specified on the map, a building must not be erected, in a residential zone, in excess of that height."

1. The non-compliance with the standard in cl 29(2)(a) enlivens the Court's discretion to refuse the application. However, the applicant contends that the non-compliance with the height control by 1.2 m at the northern edge of the development is at the area of the lift-overrun and is caused by the need to lift the building on its northern side to be above the floodplain.

1. The applicant has lodged a State Environmental Planning Objection No 1 (SEPP 1) objection to compliance with the development standard in cl 17(6) of the LEP (Exhibit J). The objection states that notwithstanding the numerical non-compliance with the height control the intent and purpose of the standard and relevant objectives are achieved and it is unnecessary and unreasonable in this case to require numerical compliance. The applicant justifies the breach because it is along the northern edges where the development adjoins the Warringah Freeway and as a result there is no direct impact on any adjoining neighbour to the north by way of lost privacy, overshadowing or views. It also contends that the development does not affect the views from the neighbouring residential flat building to the west, which is of a similar height or the privacy and views of the town house development to the south or cause any additional unacceptable overshadowing to adjoining development. For those reasons the applicant submits that the development does not offend objective (c) of cl 17(6) of the LEP.

1. The development has a flat roof like the other residential flat buildings around it and it adjoins the Warringah Freeway to the north. Flat roofs are the characteristic roof form of the immediate locality apart from the three level  hipped roof townhouses on the south. Therefore, the roof form of the development does not offend the objective of cl 17(6)(b) because it has a roof form, which is characteristic of the area. Furthermore, the variation of the standard is consistent with the aims in the Policy as set out in cl 3 and does not hinder the attainment of the objects of the Act in cl 5(a)(i) and (ii) or raise any matter of significance for state or regional planning.

1. After a consideration of the grounds of objections and the evidence I am satisfied that the objection is well founded in the circumstances of this case. In coming to that decision I have had regard to the surrounding development, the topography of the site and the cause of the breach and the development's position under the Freeway.

1. The applicant's SEPP 1 objection addresses the relevant matters discussed in the decision of Preston CJ in Wehbe v Pittwater (2007) 156 LGERA 446 at [37]; and in the decision of Lloyd J in Winten Property Group Ltd v North Sydney Council (2001) 130 LGERA 79. After a consideration of the grounds articulated in the SEPP 1 objection I am satisfied that this development complies with the relevant objectives of the height standard despite its numerical non-compliance Furthermore, it does not offend the relevant statutory requirements under the EPA Act. I am of the opinion that the SEPP 1 objection to compliance with the height control in cl 17 of the LEP is well founded and that it is both unreasonable and unnecessary to require numerical compliance with the standard in the circumstances of this case.

1. Therefore, I decline to exercise the discretion under cl 29 of the Policy to refuse this application because of its breach of the height limit in cl 17(6) of the LEP. The evidence simply does not support such a finding and the Council has not pressed a refusal of this application on this ground alone.

Building Height Plane

1. The development also breaches the building height plane (BHP) in cl 18 of the LEP.  Again the applicant has lodged an objection under SEPP 1 to compliance with that development standard although I do not believe it is necessary given cl 8 of the SEPP ARH. The BHP and height control under the LEP seek to control the bulk and density of the development in place of an FSR control. In my assessment of the design's compatibility with the character of the local area under cl 30A it is necessary to consider the bulk and scale of the development and therefore the breach of the BHP and the applicant's grounds of objection to compliance with the standard are relevant.

1. According to the evidence, the main breach of the BHP is on the northern side of the development where the development adjoins the land adjacent to the freeway. Ms Francis' evidence is that the breach is a function of the topography of the land. The maximum non-compliance occurs at the lowest point of the site. The SEPP 1 objection Exhibit 1 sets out the grounds of the objection and addresses the tests in Wehbe and the statutory requirements under the SEPP 1. The grounds, which support the objection, can be summarised as follows:

• The non-compliance is a result of pushing the development to the freeway boundary in order to increase the setback on the southern boundary next to the townhouses.
• The design purposely directs the bulk away from existing properties and therefore the building mass is not readily visible from any public or private place.
• The proposal is consistent with the scale of the surrounding flat buildings and structures around it.
• The development provides a 6.9 m setback to the western boundary and there are no buildings on the northern boundary adjoining the freeway.
• The development provides good separation from the townhouse development on the south and preserves the amenity of the existing dwellings and provides amenity to new dwellings in terms of overshadowing, privacy, views and ventilation and solar access.

1. In short the development achieves the objectives in cl 18(1)

(a) is to control the bulk and scale of the building,

(b) provide separation between buildings and

(c) to preserve the amenity of existing dwellings and provide amenity to new dwellings in terms of overshadowing, privacy, views and ventilation and solar access.

1. After a consideration of the grounds in the SEPP 1 objection and the tests in Wehbe I am of the opinion that the objection to compliance with cl18 is well founded in the circumstances of this case and under the EPA Act. The development does meet the relevant objectives of the standard despite the non-compliance with cl 18 and based on the evidence it is both unreasonable and unnecessary to require strict compliance. The bulk and scale of this development is similar to the other residential flat buildings in the local area.

What is the character of the Local Area - cl 54A(3) or cl 30A of the SEPP ARH?

1. Clause 30 A of the Policy requires that consent cannot be granted unless consideration has been given to whether the design of the development is compatible with the character of the local area.

1. The experts define the extent of the local area differently. Ms Francis says it is made up of the visual catchment and takes in the dominant Warringah Freeway and off ramp, the residential flat building and tennis courts to the west and the adjoining town houses and residential flat building to the south. She believes the local character is of mixed residential development characterised by the surrounding residential flat buildings, which are of a similar height to the proposal. In her opinion the design of the development is compatible with the character of the local area because it has a flat roof and is well set back from the adjoining town house development and of a similar bulk and scale to the other flat buildings. She describes the site and this part of Brook Street as unique because it is overwhelmed by the adjoining freeway and opposite the off ramp. She is of the opinion that the development is consistent with relevant objectives in the zone and the DCP character study.

1. Mr Layman defines a larger area to be the relevant local area for the purpose of cl 30A of the Policy. In his assessment it includes the dwelling houses in the conservation area on the southern side of Chandos Street and excludes the freeway and off ramp. His evidence is that the Warringah Freeway is road infrastructure and it is not a matter to take into account when considering the character of the local area.

1. I cannot accept Mr Layman's definition of the local area. In my assessment the Warringah Freeway and its off ramp opposite the site must be part of the local area. The view confirmed Ms Francis' evidence that they are within the visual catchment of the site and in fact they dominate this part of Brook Street. Therefore, they cannot be ignored in my assessment of the design's compatibility with the character of the local area. Although the site is within the Crows Nest Neighbourhood precinct under the DCP Character Statement this part of Brook Street near the freeway is different in character to that part closer to Chandos Street. I do not believe the southern side of Chandos Street, which is in the conservation area of the DCP study, is part of the local area of this site for the purposes of my assessment under cl 30A.

1. I accept Ms Francis' evidence that the development presents to Brook Street as an apartment building of similar scale to those existing behind the site and to the south. It sits in the shadow of the Warringah Expressway and based on the expert evidence and the Court's view undertaken at the commencement of the hearing, and, at the s 34 conference, I am satisfied that the design of the proposal is compatible with the local area.

1. The development has a similar height to the other residential flat buildings within the local area. The design is contemporary with a flat roof and I believe it will sit comfortably with the older style flat roofed red brick residential flat building to the south and integrate well with the adjoining townhouse development to the west and the Warringah Freeway to the north. The design's non-compliance with the 12 m height, on the evidence before me, does not cause the design to be out of character with the local area because the relevant objectives of the development standard are achieved despite the non-compliance.

1. The non-compliance with the BHP is predominately on the northern side of the development where it adjoins a vacant area of land and the freeway. I accept Ms Francis' evidence that there is unlikely to be any development of the vacant land between the site and the freeway. The development has been designed to achieve the relevant objectives of cl 18 of the LEP. There are no unacceptable adverse impacts from this development on existing or new dwellings in terms of shadowing, privacy, views, ventilation and solar access. I accept Ms Francis' assessment that the development's design including its bulk and scale is compatible with the character of the local area.

1. I cannot accept Mr Layman's evidence that the Warringah Freeway, which adjoins the site to the north, is not a dominant feature of the character of the local area. I agree with Ms Francis that pulling the building toward the southern boundary to achieve compliance with the BHP in this case provides no planning or acoustic or visual benefit. The site at this area of non-compliance adjoins the freeway and is opposite the Brook Street exit ramp from the freeway.

1. The Policy aims to provide a consistent planning regime for the provision of affordable rental housing, and to facilitate the effective delivery of new affordable rental housing by providing incentives by way of expanded zoning permissibility, floor space ratio bonuses and non-discretionary development standards. This development complies with the standards in cl 29 in respect of solar access, parking, landscaping, open space and accommodation size of rooms those standards prevail over any corresponding provision in the SEPP 65.

Objectors' concerns

1. Based on the evidence of the traffic experts the amenity concerns raised by the objectors including increased traffic and insufficient parking are addressed by the amended plans, the Council's conditions of consent and the amended plan of management. In fact all of the traffic experts' recommendations have been incorporated into the amended application. The development offers more than the required parking under the Policy and therefore the development cannot be refused on parking grounds.

1. The acoustic experts' recommendations have also addressed the concerns of the objectors. The applicant has agreed to cover the entry and ramp to the underground car park and to erect an acoustic wall at the southern boundary to address the acoustic issues raised by the adjoining neighbour. The amended plan of management (Exhibit H) addresses the operational concerns raised by the objectors.  It will assist to ensure that the boarding house does not cause amenity concerns for the neighbours and the residents of the boarding house.

Landscaping

1. At the view the adjoining neighbour in the townhouse development raised concern about the viability of the retention of the existing screen planting along the southern and western boundaries of the site. As a result of this the applicant offered to remove the existing vegetation and prepare a landscape plan for new plantings to create a privacy screen. The Council would like this landscape plan to be incorporated into the approval and has asked that species be nominated after consultation with the adjoining residents. I agree with this requirement.

1. The final draft of the Council's version of the conditions of consent received by the Court on 27 August 2012 are acceptable conditions except for the conditions requiring the registration of a s 88E instrument on title to ensure the affordable rental accommodation use is maintained. In my opinion it is not appropriate to use the provisions of the Conveyancing Act 1919 to enforce planning controls where there is opportunity to do so under the EPA Act: MacDonald v Mosman Municipal Council (1999) 105 LGERA 49 (Lloyd J). Carr v Goulbourn City Council (unreported, Cripps J, 21 June 1983). The development approval issued in this appeal is for an affordable housing boarding house development and any other use will require development consent. Therefore, condition G5 and G6 are not imposed.

Conclusion

1. The proposal for a new generation boarding house on this site meets the requirements of the affordable housing state policy. The land use zoning under the relevant LEP and the exhibited draft LEP 2009 permit, with consent, the development of a boarding house on the site. I have considered the design's compatibility with the character of the local area and I am satisfied that the development is acceptable on a merit assessment under the relevant heads of consideration under s 79C of the EPA Act. Therefore, I make the following orders:

Orders

(1)   The appeal is upheld.

(2)   The Council is directed to forward to the Court conditions of consent which reflect the reasons for judgment within 7 days following which orders will be made in chambers.

Susan Dixon

Commissioner of the Court

Amendments

04 September 2012 - typographical errors

Amended paragraphs: 51 and 56

Decision last updated: 04 September 2012