Bennett v Hawkesbury City Council [2022] NSWLEC 1630

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Bennett v Hawkesbury City Council [2022] NSWLEC 1630 Hearing dates: 27-28 July and 18 August 2022 Date of orders: 15 November 2022 Decision date: 15 November 2022 Jurisdiction: Class 1 Before: McEwen AC Decision: The Court orders: (1) The appeal is upheld. (2) DA0055/21 for the construction of a seniors housing development comprising 19 self-contained dwellings with attached garages, demolition of existing structures, earthworks, tree removal, extension of a private road, the conversion of an existing barn to a men's shed and the extension of a private cemetery at Lot 6 and Lot 1 in DP 270827 and Lot 300 in DP 1184237 and known as 6/21, 1/21 and 7 Vincents Road (the land) is determined by the grant of consent subject to the conditions set out in Annexure A except for that part of the development being the proposed community title subdivision of the land which is not approved. (3) Exhibits A, B, G, H, J, L and 2 are retained. Exhibits C to F, K and 1, 3 and 4 are returned. Catchwords: DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION – seniors housing and subdivision – existing use and existing use rights – extent of land used for existing use – whether subdivision is a use of land – whether subdivision is an existing use – partial consent Legislation Cited: Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, ss 1.5, 4.11, 4.16, 4.17, 4.19, 4.65, 4.66, 4.67, 4.70, 8.7, 8.10, Div 4.11 Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2000, cll 39, 41, 42, 42(2)(b), Pt 5 Hawkesbury Local Environmental Plan 1989 Hawkesbury Local Environmental Plan 2012, cll 2.3, 2.6, 2.7, 4.1, 4.1A, 4.1AA, 4.3, 4.4, 4.6, 5.10, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.7 Standard Instrument—Principal Local Environmental Plan State Environmental Planning Policy (Biodiversity and Conservation) 2021, ss 4.9, 9.4 State Environmental Planning Policy (Building Sustainability Index: BASIX) 2004 State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing for People with a Disability) 2004, cll 4B, 5, 6, 6.3, 25, 30, 31, 35, 36, 38, 50 State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing for Seniors or People with a Disability) Amendment (Metropolitan Rural Areas Exemption) 2020 State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing) 2021 State Environmental Planning Policy (Resilience and Hazards) 2021 State Environmental Planning Policy No 5 (Housing for Older People or People with a Disability) Cases Cited: Baulkham Hills Shire Council v O'Donnell (1990) 69 LGRA 404 Brinara Pty Limited v Gosford City Council (2010) 177 LGERA 296; [2010] NSWLEC 230 Broker Pty Limited v Shoalhaven City Council (2008) 164 LGERA 161; [2008] NSWCA 311 BYT Nominees Pty Limited v North Sydney Council (2008) 161 LGERA 77; [2008] NSWLEC 164 Cracknell & Lonergan Architects Pty Limited v Leichhardt Municipal Council (2012) 193 LGERA 151; [2012] NSWLEC 194 Eaton & Sons Pty Limited v Warringah Shire Council (1972) 129 CLR 270; [1972] HCA 33 Jojeni Investments Pty Limited v Mosman Municipal Council (2015) 89 NSWLR 760; [2015] NSWCA 147 Lemworth Pty Limited v Liverpool City Council (2001) 53 NSWLR 371; [2001] NSWCA 389 Mooliang Pty Limited v Shoalhaven City Council (2001) 114 LGERA 45; [2001] NSWLEC 83 Saffioti v Kiama Municipal Council (2017) 225 LGERA 136; [2017] NSWLEC 65 South Sydney City Council v Houlakis & Teakdale Pty Limited (1996) 92 LGERA 401 Starray Pty Limited v Sydney City Council [2002] NSWLEC 48 Steedman v Baulkham Hills Shire Council (No 1) (1991) 87 LGERA 26 Vaughan-Taylor v David Mitchell-Melcann Pty Limited (1991) 25 NSWLR 580 Wehbe v Pittwater Council (2007) 156 LGERA 446; [2007] NSWLEC 827 Texts Cited: Hawkesbury Development Control Plan 2012 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Kenneth Bennett (First Applicant) Pamela Bennett (Second Applicant) Hawkesbury City Council (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: M Hall SC (Applicants) M Cottom (Solicitor) (Respondent)