Goodwin Street Developments Pty Ltd atf Jesmond Unit Trust v DSD Builders Pty Ltd (in liq) [2022] NSWSC 624

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Goodwin Street Developments Pty Ltd atf Jesmond Unit Trust v DSD Builders Pty Ltd (in liq) [2022] NSWSC 624 Hearing dates: 11 – 12 April 2022; further written submissions 13, 18, 22 and 26 April 2022 Decision date: 19 May 2022 Jurisdiction: Equity - Technology and Construction List Before: Stevenson J Decision: Second defendant liable to pay damages to plaintiff Catchwords: BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION – malicious damage to property – action for trespass – standing of plaintiff to bring action for trespass – whether plaintiff had exclusive possession of the property – whether plaintiff entitled to recover loss for damage to the reversion – measure of damages for damage to the reversion – whether second defendant caused the malicious damage – whether second defendant carried out construction work for the purpose of the Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020 (NSW) – whether second defendant acted in breach of his statutory duty of care under that Act in relation to that construction work Legislation Cited: Building Products (Safety) Act 2017 (NSW) Community Land Management Act 2021 (NSW) Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020 (NSW) Design and Building Practitioners Regulation 2021 (NSW) Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (NSW) Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) Home Building Act 1989 (NSW) Local Government Act 1993 (NSW) Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 (NSW) Cases Cited: Beaudesert Shire Council v Smith (1966) 120 CLR 145; [1966] HCA 49 Birtchnell v Fred Walker & Co Pty Ltd (1930) Argus LR 176 Bowen Investments Pty Ltd v Tabcorp Holdings Ltd (2008) 166 FCR 494; [2008] FCAFC 38 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336; [1938] HCA 34 Concrete Constructions (NSW) Pty Ltd v Australian Building Construction Employees' and Builders' Labourers' Federation (1988) 83 ALR 385; [1988] HCA 485 De Gruchy v The Owners – Units Plan No 3989 [2020] ACTSC 65 Gagner Pty Ltd t/as Indochine Cafe v Canturi Corporation Pty Ltd [2009] NSWCA 413 Georgeski v Owners Corporation – Strata Plan 49833 (2004) 62 NSWLR 534; [2004] NSWSC 1096 Goodrich Aerospace Pty Ltd v Arsic (2006) 66 NSWLR 186; [2006] NSWCA 187 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298; [1959] HCA 8 Jones v Llanrwst Urban District Council (1911) 1 Ch 393 Joyner v Weeks [1891] 2 QB 31 Livingstone v Rawyards Coal Co (1880) 5 App Cas 25 Pollack v Volpato [1973] 1 NSWLR 653 Shelfer v City of London Electric Lighting Company [1895] 1 Ch 287 Shell Company of Australia Ltd v Bailey & Drysdale [1980] WAR 233 Smiley v Townshend [1950] 2 KB 311 Société d'Avances Commerciales (Société Anonyme Egyptienne) v Merchants' Marine Insurance Co [1924] 20 Ll L Rep 140 Uren v John Fairfax & Sons Pty Ltd (1966) 117 CLR 118; [1966] HCA 40 Texts Cited: New South Wales Legislative Council, Parliamentary Debates (Hansard), 2 June 2020 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Goodwin Street Developments Pty Ltd as trustee for Jesmond Unit Trust (Plaintiff) DSD Builders Pty Ltd (in liq) (First Defendant) Daniel Roberts (Second Defendant) Representation: Counsel: N J Kidd SC (Plaintiff) L Chan with A Lim (Second Defendant)