No 1 Victoria Dragons Pty Ltd v AEN Developments Pty Ltd [2022] NSWSC 1345

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: No 1 Victoria Dragons Pty Ltd v AEN Developments Pty Ltd [2022] NSWSC 1345 Hearing dates: 29-31 August 2022; 5-9 September 2022; 13 September 2022 Date of orders: 6 October 2022 Decision date: 06 October 2022 Jurisdiction: Equity - Commercial List Before: Black J Decision: Plaintiff succeeds in its primary claim and defendant fails in its cross-claim. Parties to bring in agreed short minutes of order, or otherwise their respective short minutes of order and submissions, within 7 days. Catchwords: CONTRACTS — Construction — Interpretation — Interpretation of a clause in a nomination deed for the development of a residential apartment building — Where the clause provided for a specific mix of one, two and three bedroom apartments but included a proviso that the mix "may be varied pursuant to" statutory and Council requirements — Whether the inclusion of studio apartments was a variation falling within that proviso. CONTRACTS — Rectification — Intention — Common intention CONTRACTS — Implied terms — Terms implied in fact ESTOPPEL — Estoppel by representation — "Silence" EVIDENCE — Affidavit evidence — Where substantial parts of the affidavits of three witnesses were copied between them. WORDS AND PHRASES – "varied pursuant to" Cases Cited: - Armagas Ltd v Mundogas SA [1985] 1 Ll R 1 - Attorney-General (NSW); Ex rel Corporate Affairs v Australian Softwood Forests Pty Ltd [1979] 2 NSWLR 73 - Australian Broadcasting Commission v Australasian Performing Right Assn Ltd (1973) 129 CLR 99 - Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v CG Berbatis Holdings Pty Ltd (2000) 96 FCR 491; 169 ALR 324; [2000] FCA 2 - Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Kobelt (2019) 267 CLR 1; (2019) 368 ALR 1; [2019] HCA 18 - Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Quantum Housing Group Pty Ltd (2021) 388 ALR 577; (2021) 151 ACSR 98; [2021] FCAFC 40 - Besier v Foster (1952) 94 CLR 526; [1952] HCA 14 - Birchill v Premier Holdings Pty Ltd [2011] NSWSC 1020 - BP Refinery (Westernport) Pty Ltd v Shire of Hastings (1977) 180 CLR 266 at 282 –283; 52 ALJR 20 - Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336 - British American Tobacco Australia Services Ltd v Cowell (2002) 7 VR 524; [2002] VSCA 197 - Changizi v Rizaie [2021] NSWSC 613 - Codelfa Construction Pty Ltd v State Rail Authority (NSW) (1982) 149 CLR 337 at 346; [1982] HCA 24 - Commonwealth v Verwayen (1990) 170 CLR 394; 95 ALR 321; [1990] HCA 39 - Dentown Pty Ltd v PWI Group Pty Ltd as trustee of The Australia No 1 Group Trust (2019) 141 ACSR 330 - Electricity Generation Corporation (t/as Verve Energy) v Woodside Energy Ltd (2014) 251 CLR 640; 306 ALR 25; [2014] HCA 7 - Esanda Ltd v Burgess [1984] 2 NSWLR 139 - ET-China.com International Holdings Ltd v Cheung (2021) 388 ALR 128; [2021] NSWCA 24 - Gunns Ltd v Marr [2005] VSC 251 - Hobhouse v Macarthur-Onslow [2022] NSWCA 158 - Hoy Mobile Pty Ltd v Allphones Retail Pty Ltd (No 2) [2008] FCA 810 - Hoyt's Pty Ltd v Spencer (1919) 27 CLR 133 - Icon Co (NSW) Pty Ltd v Owners - Strata Plan No 97315 [2022] NSWCA 114 - Ikin v Danish Club "Dannebrog" Inc [2001] VSCA 123 - John Holland Pty Ltd v Kellogg Brown & Root Pty Ltd [2015] NSWSC 451 - Macquarie Developments Pty Limited and Anor v Forrester and Anor [2005] NSWSC 674 - Maybury v Atlantic Union Oil Co Ltd (1953) 89 CLR 507 - Mount Bruce Mining Pty Ltd v Wright Prospecting Pty Ltd (2015) 256 CLR 104; 325 ALR 188; [2015] HCA 37 - Neeta (Epping) Pty Ltd v Phillips (1974) 131 CLR 286; [1974] HCA 18 - Perpetual Trustee Company Ltd v Meriton Property Management Pty Ltd [2004] NSWSC 1528 - Plus One International Pty Ltd v Ching (No 3) [2020] NSWSC 1598 - Price (as executor of the estate of Price (dec'd)) v Spoor (as trustee) (2021) 391 ALR 532; [2021] HCA 20 - Property Investors Alliance Pty Ltd v C88 Project Pty Ltd (in liq) [2022] NSWSC 1081 - Re Atlas Advisors Australia Pty Ltd [2022] NSWSC 705 - Re Colorado Products Pty Ltd (in prov liq) (2014) 101 ACSR 233; [2014] NSWSC 789 - Re Graziers Pastoral Pty Ltd; Re Windsor Livestock Holdings Pty Ltd; Re Windsor Livestock Pty Ltd [2021] NSWSC 1680 - Regent Land Pty Limited atf Regent Land Unit Trust v Georges River Council [2018] NSWLEC 1370 - Sanders v Snell (1998) 196 CLR 329; [1998] HCA 64 - Silovi v Barbero (1988) 13 NSWLR 466 - Toll (FGCT) Pty Ltd v Alphapharm Pty Ltd (2004) 219 CLR 165; 211 ALR 342; [2004] HCA 52 - Twigg v Twigg (No 4); Lambert v Twigg Investments Pty Ltd (No 3) [2020] NSWSC 1159 - Varma v Varma [2010] NSWSC 786 - Ventouris Enterprises Pty Ltd v Dib Group Pty Ltd [2010] NSWSC 963 - Waltons Stores (Interstate) Ltd v Maher (1998) 164 CLR 387 - Watson v Foxman (1995) 49 NSWLR 315 - Young v Holmes [2013] NSWSC 580 Texts Cited: PW Young, C Croft and ML Smith, On Equity (Lawbook Co, 2009) Category: Principal judgment Parties: No 1 Victoria Dragons Pty Ltd (Plaintiff/First Cross-Defendant) AEN Developments Pty Ltd (Defendant/Cross-Claimant) Walt Coulston (Second Cross-Defendant) Representation: Counsel: A McInerney SC/J Pokoney (Plaintiff) F Santisi (Defendant)