Owners Corp Strata Plan v Charbel CJ Pty Ltd [2004] NSWSC 1286

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Owners Corp Strata Plan v Charbel CJ Pty Ltd [2004] NSWSC 1286 HEARING DATE(S) : 1-3 December 2004 JUDGMENT DATE : 10 March 2005 JURISDICTION: Equity JUDGMENT OF : Burchett AJ at 1 DECISION : Injunction to be granted pursuant to Short Minutes.

CATCHWORDS : Strata Title - effect of Strata Management Statement under legislation - whether lessees from strata lot owners were bound - whether premises were used as "fast food outlet" contrary to the Statement - meaning of "fast food outlet" - meaning of "owner" - indefiniteness of word - construction from context - negative covenant extending to lessees - whether condition of development approval overrode Strata Management Statement - extent of injunctive relief where breach restrained was of a specific character and a general injunction might catch breaches of a quite different kind. Strata Schemes (Freehold Development) Act 1973 (NSW) LEGISLATION CITED : Retail Leases Act 1994 (NSW) Statutory Interpretation in Australia 5 ed. (2001) at sec.4.27 Lewison, The Interpretation of Contracts, 3 ed. (2004) at sec.7.15 Pepsi Seven-up Bottlers Perth P/L v Commissioner of Taxation (1995) 62 FCR 289 Gantry Aquisition Corp v Parker & Parsley Petroleum Aust. P/L (1994) 51 FCR 554 at 569 Zed v Fullerton (1944) 17 MPR 417 at 419 Smith v Packhurst (1740) 3 Atk.135 at 136; 26 ER 881 at 882 Commissioner for Railways (NSW) v Agalianos (1955) 92 CLR 290 at 397 Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority (1998) 153 ALR 490 at 509 CASES CITED : Glofield Properties Ltd v Morley (No.2) (1989) 59 P&CR at 19 Forestview Nominees P/L v Perpetual Trustees WA Ltd (1995) 133 ALR 465 at 491 Hemingway Securities Ltd v Dunraven Ltd [1995] 1 EGLR 61 at 62 Opua Ferries Ltd v Fullers Bay of Islands Ltd [2003] 3 NZLR 740 Trade Practices Commission v Glo Juice Co P/L (1987) 73 ARL 407 at 412-413, 418 Commodore Business Machines P/L v Trade Practices Commission (1990) 92 ALR 563 at 574 Bankstown City Council v Alamdo Holdings Pty Ltd [2004] NSW CA 35 at [89]-[108] PARTIES : Owners Corporation Strata Plan 69470 - Plaintiff Charbel CJ Pty Limited & Idya Pty Limited - Defendants FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 1607/2004 Dr C Birch SC (Counsel for Ptf) COUNSEL : P W Taylor SC (Counsel for D1) P Bolster (Counsel for D2) SOLICITORS : Roper & Steggall for the Plaintiff Elias Gates & Associates Pty Ltd for the First and Second Defendants