Menassa v Shi [2023] NSWSC 54

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Menassa v Shi [2023] NSWSC 54 Hearing dates: 6, 7 and 8 July 2022 Date of orders: 10 February 2023 Decision date: 10 February 2023 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Henry J Decision: Order to be made pursuant to s 88K of the Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW) imposing a drainage easement over the defendants' land. Catchwords: LAND LAW — Easements — application for easement under s 88K of the Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW) — drainage easement associated with residential dual occupancy development — requirement for drainage easement by council's deferred commencement development condition — whether easement reasonably necessary for effective use or development of plaintiff's land — assessment of impact on defendants' land — whether easement over neighbouring land is viable alternative — whether plaintiff made all reasonable attempts to obtain easement — whether plaintiff provided sufficient information to enable the defendants to understand the proposal – where easement proposal modification made — whether discretion to impose easement should not be exercised due to plaintiff's conduct — where defendants raise procedural mistake by council — assessment of compensation — easement imposed Legislation Cited: Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW) Environmental Planning & Assessment Act 1979 (NSW) Land and Environment Court Act 1979 (NSW) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 NSW Cases Cited: 117 York Street Pty Ltd v Proprietors of Strata Plan 16123 (1998) 43 NSWLR 504 City of Canterbury v Saad (2013) 195 LGERA 329; [2013] NSWCA 251 Community Association DP270447 v ATB Morton Pty Ltd (2019) 240 LGERA 32; [2019] NSWCA 83 Diro Group Pty Ltd v Leuzinger [2021] NSWLEC 107 Gordon v Lever (2018) 97 NSWLR 90; [2018] NSWCA 43 Gordon v Lever (No 2) (2019) 101 NSWLR 427; [2019] NSWCA 275 ING Bank (Aust) Ltd v O'Shea (2010) 14 BPR 27,317; [2010] NSWCA 71 Khattar v Wiese (2005) 12 BPR 23,235; [2005] NSWSC 1014 Lonergan v Lewis [2011] NSWSC 1133 McGrath v Mestousis [2017] NSWSC 995 Moorebank Recyclers Pty Ltd v Tanlane Pty Ltd (2012) 16 BPR 31,257; [2012] NSWCA 445 Rainbowforce Pty Ltd v Skyton Holdings Pty Ltd (2010) 171 LGERA 286; [2010] NSWLEC 2 Shi v Abi-K Pty Ltd (2014) 87 NSWLR 568; [2014] NSWCA 293 Studholme v Rawson [2020] NSWCA 76 The Owners – Strata Plan 85044 v Murrell; Murrell v The Owners – Strata Plan 85044 [2020] NSWSC 20 The Uniting Church in Australia Property Trust (NSW) v Woollahra Municipal Council [2019] NSWLEC 1237 Weissflog v Community Association DP 270159 (2022) 20 BPR 42,265; [2022] NSWSC 239 Texts Cited: Nil Category: Principal judgment Parties: Simon Pierrot Menassa (Plaintiff) Wenming Shi (First Defendant) Ping Wang (Second Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Ms L Nurpuri (Plaintiff)