AQC Dartbrook Management Pty Ltd v Minister for Planning and Public Spaces [2021] NSWCA 112

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: AQC Dartbrook Management Pty Ltd v Minister for Planning and Public Spaces [2021] NSWCA 112 Hearing dates: 26 April 2021 Date of orders: 03 June 2021 Decision date: 03 June 2021 Before: Meagher and Leeming JJA at [1]; Preston CJ of LEC at [31] Decision: (1) Grant leave to appeal. (2) Direct Dartbrook to file a notice of appeal amended in accordance with its written submissions in reply and otherwise dispense with the rules as to service. (3) Appeal allowed. (4) Set aside the orders made by the Land and Environment Court on 20 November 2020. (5) In lieu thereof, dismiss paragraph 3 of the notice of motion filed 9 November 2020, without prejudice to HTBA's entitlement to seek to be heard as to the making of orders pursuant to s 34(3) of the Land and Environment Court Act 1979 (NSW), with any amended notice of motion seeking to be heard to be filed and served within 7 days of today. (6) Order HTBA to pay Dartbrook's costs of proceedings in this Court. Catchwords: PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – joinder – appeal against refusal of application to modify development consent – parties agree on terms of a decision to dispose of appeal – intervenor raising jurisdictional issue that court has no power to so dispose of the appeal – source of power to join intervenor – whether s 8.15(2) Environmental Planning and Assessment Act available power for joinder – section 8.15(2) not an available power of joinder for this appeal – whether r 6.24 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules alternative source of power for joinder – whether joinder as a party necessary to determine all matters in dispute - whether power to amend modification application – whether error in exercise of discretion to join intervenor – whether joinder legally unreasonable Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 ss 64, 75, 76, 173 Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) s 411 Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 ss 8.6, 8.15(2) Part 3A, ss 75B, 75K, 75W, Part 4 Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment Act 2017 sch 10, sch 13 Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment Regulation 2018 sch 1 Environmental Planning and Assessment (Savings, Transitional and Other Provisions) Regulation 2017 sch 2, cl 3BA, cl 12 Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Part 3A Repeal) Act 2011 Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Part 3A Repeal) Regulation 2011 sch 1, sch 2 Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Infrastructure and Other Planning Reform) Act 2005 cl 2 Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2000 Part 1A, cl 8J Judicature Act 1873 (UK) Sch 1 r 9 Judicature Act 1875 (UK) Sch 1 Order XVI r 13 Land and Environment Court Act 1979 ss 34(3), 38(2), 57 Mining Act 1992 State Environmental Planning Policy (Major Development) 2005 Sch 1, cl 2, cl 6 State Environmental Planning Policy (Mining, Petroleum Production and Extractive Industries) 2007 State Environmental Planning Policy (State Significant Development) 2005 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 rr 6.23, 6.24 Cases Cited: 1643 Pittwater Road Pty Ltd v Pittwater Council [2004] NSWLEC 685 Al Maha Pty Ltd v Huajun Investments Pty Ltd (2018) 233 LGERA 170; [2018] NSWCA 245 Amon v Raphael Tuck & Sons Ltd [1956] 1 QB 357 Attorney General (SA) v Corporation of the City of Adelaide (2013) 249 CLR 1; [2013] HCA 3 Australian Education Union v Department of Education and Children's Services (2012) 248 CLR 1; [2012] HCA 3 Barrick Australia Ltd v Williams (2009) 74 NSWLR 733; [2009] NSWCA 275 Be Financial Pty Ltd as Trustee for Be Financial Operations Trust v DAS [2012] NSWCA 164 Bondi Beach Astra Retirement Village Pty Ltd v Assem [2020] NSWSC 1814 Boyd v Thorn (2017) 96 NSWLR 390; [2017] NSWCA 210 Brown v West (1990) 169 CLR 195; [1990] HCA 7 Burton v Babb [2020] NSWCA 331 Corporate Affairs Commission v Bradley [1974] 1 NSWLR 391 Delta Electricity v Blue Mountains Conservation Society Inc (2010) 176 LGERA 424; [2010] NSWCA 263 Double Bay Marina Pty Ltd v Woollahra Municipal Council (1985) 54 LGRA 313 Eastman v Director of Public Prosecutions (ACT) (2003) 214 CLR 318 at 362 Ervin Mahrer and Partners v Strathfield Council (No 2) (2001) 115 LGERA 259; [2001] NSWLEC 140 Ferella & Anor v Chief Commissioner of State Revenue [2014] NSWCA 378 Fire Auto and Marine Insurance Ltd v Greene [1964] 2 QB 687 Flaherty v Hawkesbury City Council (2020) 244 LGERA 51; [2020] NSWLEC 29 Gordon & Valich Pty Ltd v City of Sydney Council [2007] NSWLEC 780 Hunter Industrial Rental Equipment Pty Ltd v Dungog Shire Council (2019) 101 NSWLR 1; [2019] NSWCA 147 Independent Holdings Ltd v City of Adelaide Planning Commission (1994) 85 LGERA 339 Jaimee Pty Ltd v Council of the City of Sydney [2010] NSWLEC 245 John Alexander's Clubs Pty Ltd v White City Tennis Club Ltd (2010) 241 CLR 1; [2010] HCA 19 Johns v Australian Securities Commission (1993) 178 CLR 408; [1993] HCA 56 King v Bathurst Shire Council (2006) 150 LGERA 362; [2006] NSWLEC 505 Ku-ring-gai Council v Bunnings Properties Pty Ltd (2019) 236 LGERA 35; [2019] NSWCA 28 Leimroth v Wingecarribee Shire Council [2012] NSWLEC 256 Levy v State of Victoria (1997) 189 CLR 579; [1997] HCA 31 Milne v The Queen (2014) 252 CLR 149; [2014] HCA 4 Minister for Immigration and Border Protection v WZARH (2015) 256 CLR 326; [2015] HCA 40 Mirvac Projects Pty Ltd v Ku-ring-gai Council (2007) 159 LGERA 151; [2007] NSWLEC 540 Morrison Design Partnership Pty Ltd v North Sydney Council (2007) 159 LGERA 361; [2007] NSWLEC 802 News Ltd v Australian Rugby Football League Ltd (1996) 64 FCR 410; [1996] FCA 870 North Sydney Council v Michael Standley & Associates Pty Ltd (1998) 43 NSWLR 468; [1998] NSWSC 163 Pegang Mining Co Ltd v Choong Sam [1969] 2 MLJ 52 Pilkington v Secretary of State for the Environment (1973) 26 P&CR 508; [1974] 1 All ER 283 Positive Change for Marine Life Inc v Byron Shire Council [2015] NSWLEC 147 Progress and Securities Pty Ltd v North Sydney Municipal Council (1988) 66 LGRA 236 Qantas Airways Ltd v AF Little Pty Ltd [1981] 2 NSWLR 34 Re Will of Gilbert (1946) 46 SR(NSW) 318 Ross v Lane Cove Council (2014) 86 NSWLR 34; [2014] NSWCA 50 State of Victoria v Sutton (1998) 195 CLR 291; [1998] HCA 56 The Age Company Ltd v Liu (2013) 82 NSWLR 268; [2013] NSWCA 26 Toplace Pty Ltd v The Council of the City of Sydney [2020] NSWLEC 121 Valhalla Cinemas Pty Ltd v Leichhardt Municipal Council (1986) 60 LGRA 240 Valiant Timber and Hardware Co Pty Ltd v Blacktown City Council (2005) 144 LGERA 33; [2005] NSWLEC 747 Vandervell Trustees Ltd v White [1971] AC 912 Warkworth Mining Ltd v Bulga Milbrodale Progress Association Inc (2014) 86 NSWLR 524; [2014] NSWCA 105 Waverley Council v Hairis Architects (2002) 123 LGERA 100; [2002] NSWLEC 180 Werderman v Societe Generale d'Electricite (1881) 19 Ch D 246 Category: Principal judgment Parties: AQC Dartbrook Management Pty Ltd (Applicant) Minister for Planning and Public Spaces (First Respondent) Hunter Thoroughbred Breeders Association Inc (Second Respondent) Representation: Counsel: Mr R P Lancaster SC, Ms N A Wootton (Applicant) Submitting appearance (First Respondent) Mr G R Kennett SC, Mr A Stafford (Second Respondent)