Hodgson v The Hills Shire Council [2021] NSWLEC 1444

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Hodgson v The Hills Shire Council [2021] NSWLEC 1444 Hearing dates: 26 March and 10 June 2021, written submissions 16 June 2021 Date of orders: 10 August 2021 Decision date: 10 August 2021 Jurisdiction: Class 1 Before: Clay AC Decision: See [96] for final orders Catchwords: DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION – regularisation of use of existing shed for residential purposes – whether permissible – whether ancillary to existing dwelling – whether impacts from bushfire acceptable Legislation Cited: Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 ss 4.14, 4.6, 5.4, 8.15 Land and Environment Court Act 1979 ss 34AA, 39 The Hills Local Environmental Plan 2012 The Hills Local Environmental Plan 2019 cl 1.8A Cases Cited: Chamwell Pty Limited v Strathfield Council (2007) 151 LGERA 400; [2007] NSWLEC 114 Dwyer v Sutherland Shire Council [2018] NSWLEC 1543 Fitzgerald v Inner West Council [2017] NSWLEC 1283 Platform Architects Pty Ltd v Northern Beaches Council [2020] NSWLEC 185 Sikma v Hawkesbury City Council [2012] NSWLEC 1200 Texts Cited: Australian Standard for Construction of Buildings in Bushfire Prone Areas Building Code of Australia NSW Rural Fire Service "Planning for Bushfire Protection" 2006 The Hills Development Control Plan 2012 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Brett Hodgson (First Applicant) Yvonne Hodgson (Second Applicant) The Hills Shire Council (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: B Hodgson (Self represented) (Applicants) A Veness (Solicitor) (Respondent)