Site R & D Pty Ltd v Byron Shire Council [2022] NSWLEC 1121

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Site R & D Pty Ltd v Byron Shire Council [2022] NSWLEC 1121 Hearing dates: 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 November 2020, 22 March and 21, 22 and 23 June 2021 Date of orders: 8 March 2022 Decision date: 08 March 2022 Jurisdiction: Class 1 Before: Chilcott C Decision: Directions – see [417] Catchwords: DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION – subdivision of land – whether Applicant's requests to vary development standards under SEPP 1 should be upheld – whether Subject Site contains core koala habitat – whether potential impacts on frog habitat are acceptable – whether potential biodiversity impacts, including proposed tree removal, are acceptable – whether design of road access to industrial land is acceptable – whether all jurisdictional requirements are satisfied – consideration of conditions Legislation Cited: Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016, ss 6.5, 6.12, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.7, 7.12, 7.13, 7.16 Biodiversity Conservation Regulation 2017, s 6.8 Biodiversity Conservation (Savings and Transitional) Regulation 2017 Byron Local Environmental Plan 1988, Part 4 Byron Local Environmental Plan 2014, cll 11, 81, 88, 92, 97, 98, 99, 100 Conveyancing Act 1919, s 88B Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, ss 3.43, 4.14, 4.15(1), 4.15 (3A), 8.7 Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2000 Interpretation Act 1987, ss 5(6), 30(2)(d) Land and Environment Court Act 1979, s 34 Local Government Act 1993, s 68 Rural Fires Act 1997, s 100B State Environmental Planning Policy (Biodiversity and Conservation) 2021, Ch 3, Ch 4, Sch 14 State Environmental Planning Policy (Coastal Management) 2018 State Environmental Planning Policy (Infrastructure) 2007, 101, 102, 104 State Environmental Planning Policy (Koala Habitat Protection) 2019 State Environmental Planning Policy (Koala Habitat Protection) 2020, cll 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 18, 19 State Environmental Planning Policy (Koala Habitat Protection) 2021, cl 18 State Environmental Planning Policy (Major Development) 2005 State Environmental Planning Policy No 1 - Development Standards, cll 3, 8 State Environmental Planning Policy No 14 – Coastal Wetlands State Environmental Planning Policy No 26 – Littoral Rainforest State Environmental Planning Policy No 55 – Remediation of Land, cl 7 State Environmental Planning Policy No. 44 – Koala Habitat Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 Cases Cited: Ballina Shire Council v Palm Lakes Works Pty Ltd [2020] NSWLEC 41 City West Housing Pty Ltd v Sydney City Council (1999) 110 LGERA 262; [1999] NSWLEC 246 Fastbuck$ v Byron Shire Council (1999) 103 LGERA 94; [1999] NSWCA 19 Maygood Australia Pty Ltd v Willoughby City Council [2013] NSWLEC 142 Newcastle & Hunter Valley Speleological Society Inc v Upper Hunter Shire Council and Stoneco Pty Limited (2010) 210 LGERA 126; [2010] NSWLEC 48 Scott v Wollongong City Council (1992) 75 LGRA 112 Site R & D Pty Ltd v Byron Shire Council [2021] NSWLEC 1226 Villa World Byron Pty Ltd v Byron Shire Council [2020] NSWLEC 1612 Wehbe v Pittwater Council (2007) 156 LGERA 446; [2007] NSWLEC 827 Texts Cited: Australian Standard AS 2890.2:2018 Part 2 Street commercial vehicle facilities Austroads, Austroads Design Vehicles and Turning Path Templates Guide, (2013) NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, Biodiversity Assessment Method 2020, (October 2020) Biolink, Byron Coast Koala Habitat Study, (2012) Byron Development Control Plan 2014 Development Design Specification D1Geometric Road Design (Urban and Rural), AUS-SPEC, 2018 NSW Department of Planning, Development near Rail Corridors and Busy Roads - Interim Guideline, (2008) NSW Roads and Maritime Services, Guide to traffic generating developments, (2002) Planit Consulting, Terrestrial Flora & Fauna Assessment Harvest Estate, West Byron, (August 2020) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Site R & D Pty Ltd (Applicant) Byron Shire Council (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: C Ireland (Applicant) A Seton (Solicitor) (Respondent)