Mealey v Mountains Development Group Pty Ltd [2003] NSWSC 830

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Mealey v Mountains Development Group Pty Ltd [2003] NSWSC 830 HEARING DATE(S) : 9 September 2003 JUDGMENT DATE : 15 September 2003

JUDGMENT OF : Gzell J DECISION : Amendment refused. Declaration on cross claim that notices ineffective. Plaintiff to pay defendant's costs

CATCHWORDS : CONTRACTS - General Contractual Principles - Discharge, Breach and Defences to Action for Breach - Standard provision that vendor could terminate contract for sale of land for breach in an essential respect - Standard provision that, subject to other provisions, time was fixed but not essential - Whether special provision for lodgement of a development application by a fixed time was essential - Whether special provision to keep vendor fully informed was essential - Whether special provision to act with due diligence and use best endeavours was essential - Whether notice of termination for such alleged breaches was effective - PROCEDURE - Miscellaneous procedural matters - Whether amendment should be allowed after evidence and addresses to add a claim that notice terminated for repudiation as distinct from termination for breach of an essential promise LEGISLATION CITED : Local Government Act 1993 Wickman Machine Tool Sales Ltd v L Schuler AG [1972] 1 WLR 840 L Shuler AG v Wickman Machine Tool Sales Ltd [1974] AC 235 Tramways Advertising Pty Ltd v Luna Park (NSW) Ltd (1938) 38 SR (NSW) 632 Associated Newspapers Ltd v Bancks (1951) 83 CLR 322 DTR Nominees Pty Ltd v Mona Homes Pty Ltd (1977-1978) 138 CLR 423 Cehave NV v Bremer Handelsgesellschaft mbH [1976] QB 44 Ankar Pty Ltd v National Westminster Finance (Australia) Ltd (1986-1987) 162 CLR 549 TriContinental Corporation Ltd v HDFI Ltd (1990) 21 NSWLR 689 Suttor v Gundowda Pty Ltd (1950) 81 CLR 418 Perri v Coolangatta Investments Pty Ltd (1982) 149 CLR 537 Hong Kong Fir Shipping Co Ltd v Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Ltd [1962] 2 QB 26 Lohar Corporation Pty Ltd v Dibu Pty Ltd (1976) 1 BPR 9177 Dainford Ltd v Yulora Pty Ltd [1984] 1 NSWLR 546 CASES CITED : Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 Bysouth v Shire of Blackburn & Mitcham (No 2) [1928] VLR 562 Legione v Hateley (1983) 152 CLR 406 Ciavarella v Balmer (1983) 153 CLR 438 Stern v McArthur (1988) 165 CLR 489 Pentagold Investments Pty Ltd v Romanos [2002] ANZ ConvR 132 Sanctuary Investments Pty Ltd v St Gregory's Armenian School Inc (unreported, SC(NSW), 18 December 1998) Lennox v Cameron (1997) 8 BPR 15,939 Immer (No 145) Pty Ltd v Uniting Church in Australia Property Trust (NSW) (1992-1993) 182 CLR 26 Gordon v MacGregor (1909) 8 CLR 316 Leotta v Public Transport Commission (NSW) (1976) 50 ALJR 666 Queensland v J L Holdings Pty Ltd (1996-1997) 189 CLR 146 Water Board v Moustakas (1988) 180 CLR 491 Commissioner of Taxation v Brambles Holdings Ltd (1991) 28 FCR 451 Meagher Gummow and Lehane, Equity Doctrines and Remedies, 4th ed, Butterworths Lexis Nexis, Australia 2002 PARTIES : Christopher John Mealey - Plaintiff Mountains Development Group Pty Ltd - Defendant FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 3166/03 COUNSEL : Mr D I Cassidy QC with Mr D M Flaherty - Plaintiff Mr B C Oslington QC with Mr M A Jones - Defendant SOLICITORS : Jack Rigg - Plaintiff Lamrocks Solicitors - Defendant