McDonnell v The Owners – Strata Plan No 64191 [2022] NSWSC 1631

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: McDonnell v The Owners – Strata Plan No 64191 [2022] NSWSC 1631 Hearing dates: 20 May 2022 Date of orders: 30 November 2022 Decision date: 30 November 2022 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: N Adams J Decision: (1) The application to extend time to bring this appeal is refused. (2) The summons is dismissed. (3) The plaintiffs are to pay the defendant's costs. Catchwords: APPEAL – NCAT – Extension of time sought to appeal decision of NCAT – delay of over two years – appeal on question of law – leave required – plaintiffs accepted in NCAT that s 132 Strata Schemes Development Act 2015 (NSW) provided power to make orders sought – opposite position now taken for the first time – power of NCAT to make orders under s 132 Strata Schemes Development Act 2015 (NSW) – "damage" to common property under s 132 – power of NCAT to make orders conditional on approval granted under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 – special resolution passed to permit construction/alterations on common property – concurrent proceedings in Equity Division of Supreme Court – extension of time refused Legislation Cited: Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2013 (NSW), ss 80, 83, 84, Sch 4 cl 12 Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (NSW), cll 1.4, 1.5, 4.2, Div 4.3 Strata Scheme Amendment Act 2004 (NSW) Strata Schemes Development Act 2015 (NSW), s 4 Strata Schemes Management Act 1996 (NSW), ss 62, 65A Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 (NSW), ss 4, 106, 108, 109, 132, 232 Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), s 69 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), r 50.3 Cases Cited: Achurch v R (2014) 306 ALR 566 Be Financial Pty Ltd as Trustee for Be Financial Operations Trust v Das [2012] NSWCA 164 Burrell v R (2008) 238 CLR 218; 248 ALR 428; [2008] HCA 34 Capcelea v The Owners – Strata Plan No 48887 [2019] NSWCATCD 27 Coulton v Holcombe (1986) 162 CLR 1 D'Orta-Ekenaike v Victoria Legal Aid and Another (2005) 214 ALR 92 Darnell v Stonehealth Pty Ltd (No 4) [2021] FCA 823 Huang v The Owners Strata Plan 7632 t/as The Owners Strata Plan 7632 [2022] NSWSC 194 Katter v Melhem (2015) 90 NSWLR 164; 325 ALR 351; [2015] NSWCA 213 McDonnell v The Owners Strata Plan No 64191 [2019] NSWCATAP 172 McDonnell v The Owners Strata Plan No 64191 (No. 2) [2020] NSWCATAP 16 Minister for Immigration and Ethnics Affairs v Wu Shan Liang (1996) 185 CLR 259 Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs v SGLB [2004] HCA 32 Owners Strata Plan No 57164 v Yau [2017] NSWCA 341 Quach v New South Wales Health Care Complaints Commission (No 4) [2016] NSWCA 285 Rothwell Boys Pty Limited v Coffs Harbour City Council [2012] NSWLEC 19 Secretary, Department of Family and Community Services v Smith (2017) 95 NSWLR 597; [2017] NSWCA 206 Stolfa v Hempton [2010] NSWCA 218 Stolfa v Owners Strata Plan 4366 & ors [2009] NSWSC 589 The Owners – Strata Plan 21702 v Krimbogiannis [2014] NSWCA 411 The Owners of Strata Plan No 37762 v Ding Phuong Dung Pham and Anor [2006] NSWSC 1287 Vickery v The Owners – Strata Plan No 80412 (2020) 103 NSWLR 352; [2020] NSWCA 284 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Peter Robert McDonnell (First Plaintiff) Janette Carolyn McDonnell (Second Plaintiff) Peter McDonnell Pty Ltd (Third Plaintiff) The Owners – Strata Plan No 64191 (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr M Evans with Ms L Robb Vujcic (Plaintiffs) Mr D Knoll AM (Defendant)