Muscat Developments Pty Ltd trading as Muscat Developments v Wollondilly Shire Council [2021] NSWLEC 1758

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Muscat Developments Pty Ltd trading as Muscat Developments v Wollondilly Shire Council [2021] NSWLEC 1758 Hearing dates: 14, 15 and 16 September 2021 Date of orders: 10 December 2021 Decision date: 10 December 2021 Jurisdiction: Class 1 Before: Clay AC Decision: The Court makes the following direction: (1) The parties shall within 7 days file an agreed set of conditions in accordance with the reasons for judgment. Catchwords: DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION – change of use from poultry farm to two depots – use of fill unlawfully brought onto site – contamination – remediation and re-use of contaminated fill – removal of contaminated fill – relevance of Protection of the Environment Operations Act licensing provisions – impact on existing and desired character of the area – loss of land for agriculture – visual impact – protection of scenic and cultural landscapes – conditions Legislation Cited: Coal Mine Subsidence Compensation Act 2017, s 22 Contaminated Land Management Act 1997 Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, ss 4.15, 4.16, 8.7 Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2000, cl 55 Land and Environment Court Act 1979, s 39 Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997, ss 48, 144AAB, Schedule 1 State Environmental Planning Policy 55 – Remediation of Land, cl 7 Sydney Regional Environmental Plan 20 – Hawkesbury-Nepean River (No 2—1997), cll 3, 4, 6 Wollondilly Local Environmental Plan 2011 (Amendment No 40) Wollondilly Local Environmental Plan 2011, cll 1.8A, 2.3, 5.10, 7.5, 7.9, Dictionary, Land Use Table Cases Cited: BGP Properties Pty Limited v Lake Macquarie City Council (2004) 138 LGERA 237; [2004] NSWLEC 399 Environment Protection Authority v Grafil Pty Ltd; Environment Protection Authority v Mackenzie (2019) 101 NSWLR 245; [2019] NSWCCA 174 Jeffrey v Canterbury Bankstown Council [2021] NSWLEC 73 Maule v Liporoni (2002) 122 LGERA 140; [2002] NSWLEC 25 Maygood Australia Pty Ltd v Willoughby City Council [2013] NSWLEC 142 McDougall v Warringah Shire Council (1993) 30 NSWLR 258 Motbey v Hollis and Eurobodalla Shire Council (2003) 124 LGERA 227; [2003] NSWLEC 40 Taralga Landscape Guardians Inc v Minister for Planning and RES Southern Cross Pty Ltd (2007) 161 LGERA 1, [2007] NSWLEC 59 Terrace Tower Holdings v Sutherland Shire Council (2003) 129 LGERA 195; [2003] NSWCA 289 Texts Cited: Land and Environment Court of NSW, COVID-19 Pandemic Policy, (April 2021) Wollondilly Shire Council, Draft Scenic and Cultural Landscape Study, (August 2020) Greater Sydney Commissioner, Greater Sydney Region Plan - A Metropolis of Three Cities – connecting people, (March 2018) Wollondilly Shire Council, Local Strategic Planning Statement, (March 2020) Greater Sydney Commissioner, Our Greater Sydney 2056 Western City District Plan – connecting communities, (March 2018) Wollondilly Development Control Plan 2016 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Muscat Developments Pty Ltd trading as Muscat Developments (Applicant) Wollondilly Shire Council (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: R Lancaster SC with T Poisel (Applicant) C Novak (Respondent)