Owners Strata Plan No 50411 & Ors v Cameron North Sydney Investments Pty Ltd [2003] NSWCA 5

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : Owners Strata Plan No 50411 & Ors v Cameron North Sydney Investments Pty Ltd [2003] NSWCA 5 HEARING DATE(S) : 2 September 2002 JUDGMENT DATE : 6 February 2003

JUDGMENT OF : Giles JA at 1; Heydon JA at 55; Santow JA at 173 DECISION : 172

CATCHWORDS : Equity - property law - planning and environment - application for leave to appeal - development application lodged by lot owner - rejection of development application by council - strata scheme - body corporate - owners corporation - whether body corporate can refuse consent to development application - whether body corporate is included in definition of 'owner' - regulation 46(1)(b) EPA Act - whether development application concerned common property - Whether Halpin's case should be reconsidered - jurisdiction of Supreme Court - council - joinder - Whether the rights and liabilities of council were directly affected - notice of contention - D Environmental Planning and Assessment (Amendment) Act 1997 Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 Land and Environment Court Act 1979 Local Government Act 1919 Local Government Act 1993 Statute Law Revision (Local Government) Act 1995 LEGISLATION CITED : Strata Schemes (Freehold Development) Act 1973 Strata Schemes Management Act 1996 Strata Schemes (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act 1996 Strata Titles Act 1973 Strata Titles (Freehold Development) Act 1973 Strata Titles Management Act 1973 Supreme Court Act 1970 Ainsworth v Criminal Justice Commission (1992) 175 CLR 564 Annwrack Pty Ltd v Williams (Waddell CJ in Eq, 8 February 1989, unreported) Australian United Steam Navigation Co Ltd (1909) 9 CLR 1 Banque Commerciale SA (in Liq) v Akhil Holdings Ltd (1990) 169 CLR 279 Bass v Permanent Trustee Co Ltd (1999) 198 CLR 334 Blue Water District Services Pty Ltd v Sutherland Shire Council (1997) LGERA 389 Browne v Dunn (1894) 6 R 67 Cameron North Sydney Investments Pty Ltd v The Owners Strata Plan No 50411 [2002] NSWSC 726 Chilcotin Pty Ltd v Cenelage Pty Ltd [1999] NSWCA 11 Computer Edge Pty Ltd v Apple Computer Inc (1984) 54 ALR 767 Coulton v Holcombe (1986) 162 CLR 1 Crawley v Sydney City Council (1998) 98 LGERA 21 Damberg v Damberg (2001) 52 NSWLR 492 Halpin v Sydney City Council (2000) 110 LGERA 464 CASES CITED : Hoggett v Willoughby Municipal Council [1988] NSWLEC 93 Houghton v Immer (No 155) Pty Limited (1977) 44 NSWLR 46 Jeblon Pty Ltd v North Sydney Municipal Council (1982) 48 LGRA 113 Kirkjian v Towers (Waddell CJ in Eq, 6 July 1987, unreported) Multicon Engineering Pty Ltd v Federal Airports Corporation (1997) 47 NSWLR 631 Mulyan Pty Ltd v Cowra Shire Council (1999) 105 LGRA 26 News Ltd v Australian Rugby Football League Ltd (1996) 64 FCR 410 North Sydney Council v Ligon 302 Pty Ltd (1996) 185 CLR 470 Patrial Holdings Pty Ltd v Short (14 July 1994, unreported) Rowe v Australian United Steam Navigation Co Ltd (1909) 9 CLR 1 Suttor v Gundowda Pty Ltd (1950) 81 CLR 418 University of Wollongong v Metwally (1984) 158 CLR 447 University of Wollongong v Metwally (No 2) (1985) 59 ALJR 481 Water Board v Moustakas (1988) 180 CLR 491 117 York Street Pty Ltd v Proprietors of Strata Plan No 16123 (1998) 43 NSWLR 504 Owners Strata Plan No 50411 (First Claimant) Roderick Holdings Pty Ltd (Second Claimant) PARTIES : Windermere Holdings Pty Ltd (Third Claimant) Elem Investments Pty Ltd (Fourth Claimant) Cameron North Sydney Investments Pty Ltd (Opponent) FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40738/02 COUNSEL : Mr B A J Coles QC/Mr S J Burchett (Claimants) Mr J T Gleeson SC/Mr A J McInerney (Opponent) SOLICITORS : Cowley Hearne & Associates (Claimants) Gadens (Opponent)