The Hills Shire Council v Drenovac [2022] NSWLEC 139

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: The Hills Shire Council v Drenovac [2022] NSWLEC 139 Hearing dates: 28, 29 and 30 June 2022 Date of orders: 25 November 2022 Decision date: 25 November 2022 Jurisdiction: Class 4 Before: Duggan J Decision: See paragraphs 200 to 202 Catchwords: JUDICIAL REVIEW – Complying Development Certificates (CDC) issued for multi dwelling development of terrace houses and subdivision of site – whether terrace housing development met minimum lot size requirements for multi dwelling housing (terraces) pursuant to cl 3B.33 of State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt & Complying Development Codes) 2008 – cl 4.1A of Hills Shire Council Local Environment Plan 2019 (NSW) – whether error of construction by certifier reviewable – s 4.31 of Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (NSW) (EP&A Act) – whether error produced invalidity of CDC – whether proceedings brought out of time pursuant s 4.59 of EP&A Act – claims not established – whether discretion would have been exercised – Applicant to pay costs Legislation Cited: Building and Development Certifiers Act 2018 (NSW) Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (NSW) Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulations 2021 (NSW) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) Cases Cited: Area Concrete Pumping Pty Ltd v Inspector Childs (2012) 223 IR 86 Bankstown City Council v Bennett (2012) 187 LGERA 446 Barton v Orange City Council [2008] NSWLEC 104 Botany Bay City Council v Saab Corp Pty Ltd (2011) 183 LGERA 228 Brown v Randwick City Council (2011) 183 LGERA 382 Cando Management and Maintenance Pty Ltd v Cumberland Council (2019) 237 LGERA 128 Canterbury City Council v Mihalopoulos [2010] NSWLEC 248 Central Coast Council v 40 Gindurra Road Somersby Pty Ltd (No 2) (2019) 241 LGERA 133 Craig v South Australia (1995) 184 CLR 163 Dincel Construction System v Penrith City Council (2021) 247 LGERA 384 Fairfield City Council v Ly [2008] NSWLEC 322 Fenwick v Woodside Properties Pty Ltd (2016) 217 LGERA 435 Georges River Council v Stojanovski [2018] NSWLEC 125 Glaser v Poole [2010] NSWLEC 143 Hollis v Shellharbour City Council [2002] NSWLEC 83 Hornsby Shire Council v Trives (No 3) [2015] NSWLEC 190 Hossain v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection (2018) 264 CLR 123 Kirk v Industrial Court (NSW) (2010) 239 CLR 531 Lesnewski v Mosman Municipal Council (2005) 138 LGERA 207 Lu v Walding (No 2) (2021) 249 LGERA 1 Maitland City Council v Anambah Homes Pty Limited (2005) 147 LGERA 234 Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs v Bhardwaj (2002) 209 CLR 597 Nader v Sutherland Shire Council [2008] NSWCA 265 Neeta (Epping) Pty Ltd v Phillips (1974) 131 CLR 286 Plaintiff S157/2002 v Commonwealth of Australia (2003) 211 CLR 476 Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority (1998) 194 CLR 355 R v Hickman (1945) 70 CLR 598 Reulie Land Co Pty Limited v Lee Environmental Planning Pty Limited [No 2] [2020] NSWLEC 49 RIG Consulting Pty Ltd v Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council (2021) 249 LGERA 377 Ross v Lane [2022] NSWCA 235 Rossi v Living Choice Australia Pty Ltd (No 3) (2013) 211 LGERA 238 South East Forest Rescue Inc v Allied Natural Wood Exports Pty Ltd [2021] NSWLEC 89 Temelkovski v Wright (2016) 218 LGERA 381 Trives v Hornsby Shire Council (2015) 89 NSWLR 268 V'landys v Land and Environment Court of NSW (2012) 193 LGERA 47 Warringah Shire Council v Sedevcic (1987) 10 NSWLR 335 Weston Aluminium Pty Ltd v Environmental Protection Authority [2022] NSWCA 236 Woollahra Municipal Council v Sahade [2012] NSWLEC 76 Woolworths Ltd v Pallas Newco Pty Ltd (2004) 61 NSWLR 707 Texts Cited: Macquarie Dictionary (online) Mark Aronson, Matthew Groves and Greg Weeks, Judicial Review of Administrative Action and Government Liability (6th ed, 2017, Thomson Reuters) Category: Principal judgment Parties: The Hills Shire Council (Applicant) Milan Drenovac (First Respondent) Christopher Wahbe (Second Respondent) Amelia Clare McKey (Third Respondent) Benjamin Joel Hynes (Fourth Respondent) Kristy Elyse Dimitroff (Fifth Respondent) James Christopher Dimitroff (Sixth Respondent) Representation: Counsel: I Hemmings SC and J Smith (Applicant) C Ireland (First Respondent) Submitting Appearance (Second Respondent) D Miller SC, M Staunton and L Smith (Third to Sixth Respondents)