Au v Berlach [2022] NSWSC 81

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Au v Berlach [2022] NSWSC 81 Hearing dates: 21, 22, 25 October; 15 December 2021 Decision date: 08 February 2022 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Kunc J Decision: Summons to be dismissed; Orders to be made to give effect to relief sought in cross-summons Catchwords: LAND LAW — Easements — Substantial interference with easements — Servient owner not entitled to place signs, fencing and other objects including 17 CCTV cameras in vicinity of easement detracting from dominant tenement's reasonable enjoyment of rights — Extent of dominant owner's ancillary rights including repair and maintenance and use of leaf blower TORTS — Private nuisance — Interference with use and enjoyment of land — Substantial and unreasonable interference — 17 CCTV cameras on servient property recording dominant owner's use of easement Legislation Cited: Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW) Protection of the Environment Operations (Noise Control Regulation 2017 (NSW) State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008 (NSW) Cases Cited: Bland v Levi [2000] NSWSC 161; [2000] 9 BPR 17,517 Donnellan v Cadeddu [2021] NSWSC 1600 Hare v van Brugge (2013) 84 NSWLR 41; [2013] NSWCA 74 Mantec Thoroughbreds Pty Ltd v Batur (2009) 25 VR 507; [2009] VSC 351 Raciti v Hughes (1995) 7 BPR 14,837 Raphael Glaser v Silvana Slaveva Smithwick [2018] NSWLEC 206 Sertari Pty Ltd v Nirimba Developments Pty Ltd [2007] NSWCA 324; (2008) NSW ConvR 56-196 Shahin v Raedel [2017] SADC 92 Treweeke v 36 Wolseley Road Pty Ltd (1973) 128 CLR 274; [1973] HCA 27 Westfield Management Limited v Perpetual Trustee Company Limited (2007) 233 CLR 528; [2007] HCA 45 Texts Cited: Adrian J Bradbrook and Susan V MacCallum, "Bradbrook and Neave's Easements and Restrictive Covenants" 3rd Ed, (Lexis Nexis Butterworths Australia 2011) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Gregory Ming Hoi Au (Plaintiff)