Ashfield Municipal Council v Roads & Traffic Authority of NSW [2001] NSWCA 370

Reported Decision : (2001) 117 LGERA 203

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : Ashfield Municipal Council v Roads & Traffic Authority of NSW [2001] NSWCA 370 FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40529/00 HEARING DATE(S) : 29 May 2001 JUDGMENT DATE : 22 October 2001

PARTIES : Ashfield Municipal Council (Appellant) Roads & Traffic Authority of NSW (Respondent) JUDGMENT OF : Mason P at 1; Heydon JA at 3; Davies AJA at 77

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : Land & Environment Court LOWER COURT L & EC 30020/21/98 FILE NUMBER(S) : LOWER COURT Sheahan J JUDICIAL OFFICER :

COUNSEL : Mr J J Webster (Appellant) Mr J A Ayling (Respondent) SOLICITORS : Pike Pike & Fenwick (Appellant) Crown Solicitor (Respondent) CATCHWORDS : Land Law - Resumption of Land - Compulsory Acquisition - Appeal from Land and Environment Court - Whether Land and Environment Court had jurisdiction to determine compensation - Whether provisions of Roads Act 1993 or Land Acquisition (Just Terms Compensation) Act 1991 governed compensation for resumed lands - Where resumed lands contained part of road - Whether a "public road" - Whether "owned" by Council - Meaning of "public road" and "own" in Roads Act 1993 (NSW), ss 145, 204, 206 - Land Acquisition (Just Terms Compensation) Act 1991 - Land Law - Resumption of Land - Compulsory Acquisition - Appeal from Land and Environment Court - Determination of compensation - Compulsory acquisition of land owned by Council - Whether market value of land should be reduced by two-thirds due to restrictions imposed by Crown Lands Act - Where lands used as public open space for recreation - Crown Lands Act 1989 (NSW) - Land Acquisition (Just Terms Compensation) Act 1991 - D Conveyancing Act 1919 Crown Lands Act 1989 Crown Lands Consolidation Act 1913 Crown Lands (Continued Tenures) Act 1989 Interpretation Act 1987 Land Acquisition (Just Terms Compensation) Act 1991 Land Tax Assessment Act 1910 LEGISLATION CITED : Local Government Act 1919 Local Government Act 1993 Local Government (Consequential Provisions) Act 1993 Main Roads Act 1924 National Parks Act 1912 Public Roads Act 1902 Roads Act 1993 State Roads Act 1986 Attorney-General for the Northern Territory v Minister for Aboriginal Affairs (1986) 67 ALR 282 Commissioner for Main Roads v BP (Australia) Pty Ltd (1964) 10 LGRA 423 Corrie v MacDermott [1914] AC 1056 Hornsby Shire Council v Roads and Traffic Authority of NSW [1996] NSWLEC 152 Hornsby Shire Council v Roads and Traffic Authority of NSW (1998) 100 LGERA 105 Knox County v Ninth National Bank 147 US 91 (1893) McLean Bros & Rigg Ltd v Grice (1906) 4 CLR 835 CASES CITED: Nelungaloo Pty Ltd v The Commonwealth (1948) 75 CLR 495 Newington v Windeyer (1985) 3 NSWLR 555 Prince Alfred Park (D500038) Reserve Trust as Trustee of the Prince Alfred Park v State Rail Authority of New South Wales (1997) 96 LGERA 75 Royal Sydney Golf Club v Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1955) 91 CLR 610 Sydney Sailors' Home v Sydney Cove Redevelopment Authority (1977) 35 LGRA 106 Vale v Whiddon (1949) 50 SR (NSW) 90 Western Stores Ltd v Orange County Council [1971] 2 NSWLR 36 Wilover Nominees Ltd v Inland Revenue Commissioners [1973] 2 All ER 977 DECISION : 1. The Court remits the matter for rehearing in respect of the lands excluding the 2349 square metres part of Dobroyd Parade; the Court directs that the parties bring in Short Minutes of Order within 21 days reflecting the outcome of the Court's reasoning.