Roberts v Goodwin Street Developments Pty Ltd [2023] NSWCA 5

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Roberts v Goodwin Street Developments Pty Ltd [2023] NSWCA 5 Hearing dates: 8 November 2022 Date of orders: 10 February 2023 Decision date: 10 February 2023 Before: Ward P at [1]; Kirk JA and Griffiths AJA at [80] Decision: Appeal dismissed with costs Catchwords: BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION — Contract — Defects — Duty of care — Whether statutory duty of care under the Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020 (NSW) applies in relation to "boarding houses" — Meaning of "building work" — Meaning of "construction work" BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION — Contract — Damages — Whether proper measure of damages to reversionary interest in property is the rectification of the damage or the diminution in value of the reversionary interest CIVIL PROCEDURE — Commercial List, Technology and Construction List — Procedure — List Statements — Where respondent failed to plead action on the case in trespass in List Statement — Whether denial of procedural fairness to determine the matter on that basis Legislation Cited: American Restatement (First) of Torts Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) Community Land Management Act 1989 (NSW) Community Land Management Act 2021 (NSW) Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW) Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020 (NSW) Design and Building Practitioners Regulation 2021 (NSW) Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (NSW) Home Building Act 1989 (NSW) Interpretation Act 1987 (NSW) Landlord and Tenant Act 1927 (UK) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) Cases Cited: Abbahall Ltd v Smee [2003] 1 WLR 1472 Alcan (NT) Alumina Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Territory Revenue (2009) 239 CLR 27; [2009] HCA 41 Alston v Scales (1832) 9 Bing 3 Arthur Robinson (Grafton) Pty Ltd v Carter (1968) 122 CLR 649; [1968[ HCA 9 Banque Commerciale SA., en liquidation v Akhil Holdings Ltd (1990) 169 CLR 279; [1990] HCA 11 Baxter v Taylor (1832) 4 B & AD 71 BCEG International (Australia) Pty Ltd v Xiao [2022] NSWSC 972 Beaudesert Shire Council v Smith (1966) 120 CLR 145; [1966] HCA 49 Birtchnell v Fred Walker and Co Pty Ltd (1930) Argus LR 176 Bowen Investments Pty Ltd v Tabcorp Holdings Ltd (2008) 166 FCR 494; [2008] FCAFC 38 Brookfield Multiplex Ltd v Owners Corporation Strata Plan 61288 (2014) 254 CLR 185; [2014] HCA 36 Bryant v Quinn [2022] NSWCA 163 Capello v Hammond & Simonds NSW Pty Ltd [2021] NSWCA 57 Chulcough v Holley (1968) 41 ALJR 336 Coleman v Seaborne Pty Ltd [2007] NSWCA 60 Commissioner of Taxation v Consolidated Media Holdings Ltd (2012) 250 CLR 503; [2012] HCA 55 Cotterill v Hobby (1825) 107 ER 1133; (1825) 4 B&C 465 Dare v Pulham (1982) 148 CLR 658; [1982] HCA 70 Dodd Properties Ltd v Canterbury City Council [1980] 1 WLR 433 Ehlmer v Hall [1993] 1 EGLR 137 Evans v Balog [1976] 1 NSWLR 36 Farah Constructions Pty Ltd v Say-Dee Pty Ltd (2007) 230 CLR 89; [2007] HCA 22 Gagner Pty Limited (t/as Indochine Café) v Canturi Corporation Pty Limited (2009) 262 ALR 691; [2009] NSWCA 413 Gibb v Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1966) 118 CLR 628; [1966] HCA 74 Gimtak Pty Ltd v Cathie [2001] VSC 88 Goodwin Street Developments Pty Ltd atf Jesmond Unit Trust v DSD Builders Pty Ltd (in liq) [2022] NSWSC 624 Gould & Birbeck & Bacon v Mount Oxide Mines (1916) 22 CLR 490; [1916] HCA 81 Graham v Markets Hotel Pty Ltd (1943) 67 CLR 567; [1943] HCA 8 Haines v Bendall (1991) 172 CLR 60; [1991] HCA 15 Hansen v Gloucester Developments Pty Limited [1992] 1 Qd R 14 Hanson v Newman [1934] Ch 298 Haviland v Long [1952] 2 QB 80 Hosking v Phillips (1848) 154 ER 801; (1848) 3 Exch 168 House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499; [1936] HCA 40 Ingot Capital Investments Pty Ltd v Macquarie Equity Capital Markets Ltd (2008) 73 NSWLR 653; [2008] NSWCA 206 Ipstar Australia Pty Ltd v APS Satellite Pty Ltd (2018) 329 FLR 149; [2018] NSWCA 15 Irontrain Investments Ltd v Ansari [2005] EWCA Civ 1681 James v Hutton [1950] 1 KB 9 Jaquin v Holland [1960] 1 WLR 258 Jones v Gooday (1841) 8 M & W 146; 151 ER 985 Jones v Herxheimer [1950] 2 KB 106 Jones v Llanrwst Urban District Council (1911) 1 Ch 393 Joyner v Weeks [1891] 2 QB 31 Keddel v Regarose Pty Ltd [1995] 1 Qd R 172 Kingston v Keprose Pty Ltd (1987) 11 NSWLR 404 Krnjulac v Lincu [2015] NSWCA 367 Loxton v Waterhouse (1891) 7 WN (NSW) 98 Maori Trustee v Rogross Farms Ltd [1994] 3 NZLR 410 Mayfair Property Company v Johnston [1894] 1 Ch 508 Minter v Eacott (1952) 69 WN (NSW) 93 Moss v Christchurch Rural District Council [1925] 2 KB 750 Nowlan v Marson Transport Pty Limited (2001) 53 NSWLR 116; [2001] NSWCA 346 Obeid v Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (2014) 226 FCR 471, [2014] FCAFC 155 Port Stephens Shire Council v Tellamist Pty Ltd (2004) 135 LGERA 98; [2004] NSWCA 353 Public Trustee as Administrator of Estate of the late John Andrew McDonald v Hermann [1968] 3 NSWR 94 R v A2 (2019) 269 CLR 507; [2019] HCA 35 Re Australian Federation of Construction Contractors; Ex parte Billing (1986) 68 ALR 416; [1986] HCA 74 Rodrigues v Ufton (1894) 20 VLR 539 Rust v Victoria Graving Dock Co, and London and St Katharine Dock Co (1887) 36 Ch D 113 Saeed v Minister for Immigration and Citizenship (2010) 241 CLR 252; [2010] HCA 23 Sharman v Evans (1977) 138 CLR 563; [1977] HCA 8 Shell Company of Australia Ltd v Bailey [1980] WAR 233 Smiley v Townshend [1950] 2 KB 311 South Western Sydney Local Health District v Gould (2018) 97 NSWLR 513; [2018] NSWCA 69 State of South Australia v Simionato [2005] SASC 412; (2005) 143 LGERA 128 Stephens v The Queen (2022) 96 ALJR 871; [2022] HCA 31 Swiss Re International SE v Simpson (2018) 354 ALR 607; [2018] NSWSC 233 Tabcorp Holdings Ltd v Bowen Investments Pty Ltd (2009) 236 CLR 272; [2009] HCA 8 The Metropolitan Association for Improving the Dwellings of the Industrious Classes v Fetch (1858) 5 CB(NS) 502 Van Dal Footwear Ltd v Ryman Ltd [2010] 1 WLR 2015 Walker Group Constructions Pty Ltd v Tzaneros Investments Pty Ltd (2017) 94 NSWLR 108; [2017] NSWCA 27 Texts Cited: Croft C, Hay R and Virgona L, Commercial Tenancy Law (Lexis Nexis, 4th ed, 2017) Edelman JE, McGregor on Damages (Sweet & Maxwell, 21st ed, 2020) Edgeworth B, Butt's Land Law (Thomson Reuters, 7th ed, 2017) Fleming JG, Fleming's Law of Torts (Thomson Reuters, 10th ed, 2011) McGregor H, Mayne and McGregor on Damages (Sweet & Maxwell, 12th ed, 1961) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Daniel Roberts (Appellant) Goodwin Street Developments Pty Ltd (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: L Chan, A Lim and K Sharma (Appellant) NJ Kidd SC and RR Sud (Respondent)