Stannards Marine Pty Ltd v North Sydney Council [2022] NSWLEC 99

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Stannards Marine Pty Ltd v North Sydney Council [2022] NSWLEC 99 Hearing dates: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11 and 26 May 2022 Date of orders: 08 August 2022 Decision date: 08 August 2022 Jurisdiction: Class 1 Before: Preston CJ Decision: The Court orders: In the relocatable shed appeal, Proceedings No 2022/36839: (1) By 22 August 2022, the parties are to confer and if possible agree on the conditions of development consent for the relocatable shed and air quality pollution control system, which are to reflect the findings of this judgment, and file the agreed conditions. (2) If the parties are not able to agree on the conditions of consent, by 22 August 2022, each party is to file in Court and serve on the other parties the party's version of the conditions of consent. In the floating dry dock appeal, Proceedings No 2021/63136: (1) The appeal is dismissed. (2) Development application No 57/2019 for the mooring and use of a floating dry dock and associated infrastructure works at 6 John Street, McMahons Point, is determined by refusal of consent. Catchwords: APPEAL – development application for the use of a relocatable shed at existing boatyard – structural integrity of shed – acoustic and air quality impacts –impact on land contamination – visual and heritage impacts – consistency with zone objectives APPEAL – development application for the mooring and use of a floating dry dock at existing boatyard – visual and landscape character impacts – statutory provisions recognising harbour as public asset of national and heritage significance to be protected for public good, for existing and future generations – public trust – intergenerational equity – unacceptable visual and landscape character impacts Legislation Cited: Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 ss 4.15, 4.16, 8.7 Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2021 cl 32(3) of Schedule 3 Interpretation Act 1987 cl 30A North Sydney Development Control Plan 2013 sections 10, 13 of Part C, section 13 of Part B North Sydney Local Environmental Plan 2013 cll 2.3, 2.4, 5.10, 6.8, Part 1 of Schedule 5 Protection of the Environment Administration Act 1991 s 6 State Environmental Planning Policy (Biodiversity and Conservation) 2021 cll 10.1, 10.4, Part 10.2, Chapter 10 State Environmental Planning Policy (Resilience and Hazards) 2021 cl 4.6 Sydney Harbour Foreshores and Waterways Development Control Plan 2005 Parts 1, 3, 4 Sydney Regional Environmental Plan (Sydney Harbour Catchment) 2005 Cases Cited: Addenbrooke Pty Ltd v Woollahra Municipal Council [2008] NSWLEC 190 Bushfire Survivors for Climate Action Inc v Environment Protection Authority (2021) 250 LGERA 1; [2021] NSWLEC 92 Illinois Central Railroad v Illinois 146 US 387 (US Sup Ct, 1892) Re Sydney Harbour Collieries Co (1895) 5 Land Appeal Court Reports 243 Rose Bay Marina Pty Ltd v Woollahra Municipal Council [2013] NSWLEC 1046 Society for the Protection of the Harbour Ltd v Town Planning Board [2003] 2 HKLRD 787; [2003] HKCFI 220 Stannards Marine Pty Ltd v North Sydney Council (2021) 250 LGERA 318; [2021] NSWLEC 66 Telstra Corp Ltd v Hornsby Shire Council (2006) 146 LGERA 10; [2006] NSWLEC 133 Tenacity Consulting v Warringah Council [2004] NSWLEC 140 Town Planning Board v Society for the Protection of the Harbour Ltd (2004) 7 HKCFAR 1; [2004] HKCFA 27 Willoughby City Council v Minister Administering the National Parks and Wildlife Act (1992) 78 LGERA 19 Texts Cited: Tim Bonyhady, 'A Usable Past: The Public Trust in Australia' (1995) 29 Environmental & Planning Law Journal 329 Berry Fong Chung Hsu, 'A Public Trust Doctrine for Hong Kong' (2011) 15 New Zealand Journal of Environmental Law 89 Joseph L Sax, 'The Public Trust Doctrine in Natural Resource Law: Effective Judicial Intervention' (1969-1970) 68 Michigan Law Review 484 Joseph L Sax, Defending the Environment: A Handbook for Citizen Action (Vintage Books, 1971) Catherine Redgwell, "Principles and Emerging Norms in International Law: Intra- and Inter- generational Equity" in CP Carlarne, KR Gray and R Tarasofsky (eds) The Oxford Handbook of International Climate Change Law (OUP, 2016) 185 WH Rodgers, 'Bringing People Back: Toward a Comprehensive Theory of Taking in Natural Resource Law' (1982) 10 Ecology Law Quarterly 205 E Brown Weiss, "Intergenerational Equity: A Legal Framework for Global Environmental Change" in E Brown Weiss (ed) Environmental Change and International Law: New Challenges and Dimensions (UN University Press, 1992) E Brown Weiss, In Fairness to Future Generations: International Law, Common Patrimony, and Inter-generational Equity (UN University Press, 1988) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Stannards Marine Pty Ltd (Applicant) North Sydney Council (Respondent) Friends of Sydney Harbour (Objector 1) The Owners of Strata Plan 63626 (Objector 2) Dr Ronald Blombery (Objector 3) The Owners of Strata Plan 48674 (Objector 4) The Owners of Strata Plan 48675 (Objector 5) Waverton Public Lands and Waters Protection Association Inc (Objector 6) Mr Michael Stevens (Objector 7) Representation: Counsel: Mr A Galasso SC with Ms J Reid (Applicant) Mr T To (Respondent) Ms L Sims (Objectors 2, 3, 4, 5, 7) Mr J Molyneux (agent) (Objector 1) Mr B Donald (agent) (Objector 6)