MITCHELL v. PATTERN HOLDINGS PTY. LIMITED [2002] NSWCA 212

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : MITCHELL v. PATTERN HOLDINGS PTY. LIMITED [2002] NSWCA 212 FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40220/01 HEARING DATE(S) : 01/11/2001 JUDGMENT DATE : 15 July 2002

PARTIES : JOHN JAMES MITCHELL (Appellant) PATTERN HOLDINGS PTY. LIMITED (Respondent) JUDGMENT OF : Powell JA at 1; Stein JA at 67; Rolfe AJA at 68

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : Supreme Court - Equity Division LOWER COURT ED 4171/00 FILE NUMBER(S) : LOWER COURT Windeyer J JUDICIAL OFFICER :

COUNSEL : T.G.R. Parker (Appellant) B.A.J. Coles QC, S.J. White and Ms. N. Obrant (Respondent) SOLICITORS : Blake Dawson Waldron (Appellant) Freidman Reeves (Respondent) CATCHWORDS : VENDOR AND PURCHASER - Contract for sale of strata lot "off the plan" - Contract conditional on registration of strata plan "substantially in accordance with draft strata plan - Whether strata plan ultimately registered substantially in accordance with draft strata plan - Whether vendor failed to use all reasonable efforts to secure registration of strata plan substantially in accordance with draft strata plan - Whether vendor entitled to terminate contract D LEGISLATION CITED : Strata Titles Act 1973 Alcatel Australia Ltd v. Scarcella (1998) 44 NSWLR 349 Alghuissien Establishment v. Eton College [1988] 1 WLR 587 Godfrey Constructions Pty. Limited v. Kanangra Park Pty. Limited (1972) 128 CLR 529 Hawes v. Cuzeno Pty. Limited (1999) 10 BPR 97821 CASES CITED: New Zealand Shipping Co. Ltd. v. Societe des Ateliers et Chantiers [1919] AC 1 Nina's Bar Bistro Pty. Ltd. (formerly Mytcoona Pty. Ltd) v. MBE Corporation (Sydney) Pty. Ltd. [1984] 3 NSWLR 613 Pierce Bell Sales Pty. Limited. v. Fraser (1972-1973) 130 CLR 575 Selkirk v. Romar Investments Limited [1963] 1 WLR 1415 Suttor v. Gundowda Pty. Ltd. (1950) 81 CLR 418 DECISION : Appeal dismissed