Blake v Ku-ring-gai Council [2021] NSWLEC 1461

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Blake v Ku-ring-gai Council [2021] NSWLEC 1461 Hearing dates: 15-17 June 2021, further submissions received 29 July 2021 Date of orders: 13 August 2021 Decision date: 13 August 2021 Jurisdiction: Class 1 Before: Gray C Decision: The Court orders that: (1) Leave is granted to the applicant to rely on the amended Clause 4.6 Variation Request dated 28 July 2021. (2) The appeal is upheld. (3) Development consent is granted for the construction of a multi dwelling housing development comprising 12 dwellings, basement parking and associated works at 5-7 Duff Street, Turramurra, subject to the conditions of consent in Annexure A. (4) Exhibits 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, E and F are returned. Catchwords: APPEAL – development application – multi dwelling housing – removal of two trees species of endangered ecological community – whether there is an adverse environmental impact – breach of the height development standard Legislation Cited: Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 ss 6.5, 6.12, 7.3, 7.7, 7.13, 7.16, Sch 2 Pt 1 Biodiversity Conservation Regulation 2017 cll 6.2, 6.7 Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 ss 4.15, 8.7 Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2000, Sch 1 Ku-ring-gai Local Environmental Plan 2015 (Amendment No 21) Ku-ring-gai Local Environmental Plan 2015 cll 1.8A, 4.3, 4.4, 4.6, 6.3 Ku-ring-gai Local Environmental Plan (Local Centres) 2012 (Repealed) State Environmental Planning Policy No 55—Remediation of Land, cl 7 Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (Repealed) Cases Cited: Arkibuilt Pty Ltd v Ku-ring-gai Council [2014] NSWLEC 1161 Barrak v City of Parramatta Council [2018] NSWLEC 67 Bulga Milbrodale Progress Association Inc v Minister for Planning and Infrastructure and Warkworth Mining Limited (2013) 194 LGERA 347; [2013] NSWLEC 48 Ingham Planning Pty Ltd v Ku-ring-gai Council [2010] NSWLEC 1222 Mackenzie Architects International Pty Limited v Ku-ring-gai Council [2015] NSWLEC 1353 Wehbe v Pittwater Council (2007) 156 LGERA 446; [2007] NSWLEC 827 Wenli Wang v North Sydney Council [2018] NSWLEC 122 Wingecarribee Shire Council v De Angelis [2016] NSWCA 189 XLJ Investment Group Pty Ltd v Ku-ring-gai Council [2020] NSWLEC 1607 Zhang v Canterbury City Council (2001) 115 LGERA 373; [2001] NSWCA 167 Texts Cited: Building Code of Australia Ku-ring-gai Development Control Plan 2020 Ku-ring-gai Housing Strategy (December 2020 – Revised) Livable Housing Australia, Livable Housing Design Guidelines NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, The Biodiversity Assessment Method 2020 NSW Office of the Environment and Heritage, 'Guidance to assist a decision-maker to determine a serious and irreversible impact' (2017) NSW Scientific Committee - final determination, 'Blue Gum High Forest in the Sydney Basin Bioregion - critically endangered ecological community listing' (2007) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Peter Blake (Applicant) Ku-ring-gai Council (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: M Staunton (Applicant) J Smith (Respondent)