Baulkham Hills Shire Council v Basemount Pty Ltd & Anor [2003] NSWCA 189

Reported Decision : (2003) 126 LGERA 339

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : Baulkham Hills Shire Council v Basemount Pty Ltd & Anor [2003] NSWCA 189 HEARING DATE(S) : 7 July 2003 JUDGMENT DATE : 18 July 2003

JUDGMENT OF : Handley JA at 1; Ipp JA at 2; Tobias JA at 3 DECISION : a) Appeal allowed; b) Set aside Order (3) made by Pearlman J on 2 October 2002 and in lieu thereof make the following order: "Both proceedings are to be remitted to a Commissioner or Commissioners (other than Commissioner Murrell) or to a Judge of the Court for re-hearing and re-determination conformably with these reasons for judgment"; c) The respondents to pay the costs of the Council in the proceedings before Pearlman J; d) The respondents to pay the costs of the summons for leave to appeal and of the appeal but to have in respect thereof, if otherwise qualified, a certificate under the Suitors' Fund Act 1951.

CATCHWORDS : Development applications granted by Commissioner in Land & Environment Court - Appeal by Council - Whether matter should be remitted to a different Commissioner on basis of reasonable apprehension of bias - ND LEGISLATION CITED : Land & Environment Court Act 1979, s30(1), s56A(1), s56A(2), s56A(2)(b) Livesey v NSW Bar Association (1983) 151 CLR 288 Burwood Municipal Council v Harvey (1995) 86 LGERA 389 Kekatos v The Council of the Law Society of NSW (1999) NSWCA 288 CASES CITED : Barton v Walker (1979) 2 NSWLR 740 Australian National Industries Ltd v Spedley Securities Ltd (in liq) (1992) 26 NSWLR 411 re JRL; Ex parte CJL (1986) 161 CLR 342 Preferred Projects (Buildings) v Warringah Council (1999) 106 LGERA 144 PARTIES : Baulkham Hills Shire Council Basemount Pty Ltd and Gaofind Pty Ltd FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 41184/02 COUNSEL : C - Mr P Tomasetti O - Mr J Ayling SC / Mr A Pickles SOLICITORS : C - Corrs Chambers Westgarth O- Avendra Singh Strati & Kam