Makawe Pty Limited v Randwick City Council [2009] NSWCA 412

Reported Decision: 171 LGERA 165[2010] ALMD 3110

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION: Makawe Pty Limited v Randwick City Council [2009] NSWCA 412

HEARING DATE(S): 28 May 2009

JUDGMENT DATE: 15 December 2009

JUDGMENT OF: Hodgson JA at 1; Campbell JA at 58; Simpson J at 75

DECISION: Appeal dismissed with costs.

CATCHWORDS: LOCAL GOVERNMENT – Consent authority – Approval of development application for home unit building – Approval of building application – Subsequent flooding of basement car-park due to fluctuations in water table – Whether consent authority owed duty of care to purchaser of home unit building. - TORTS – Negligence – Duty of care – Pure economic loss – Loss to purchaser of home unit building from flooding of basement car-park due to fluctuations in water table – Whether duty of care in respect of such loss owed to purchaser by consent authority that approved development and building applications.

Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 ss 76, 90 and 91 LEGISLATION CITED: Local Government Act 1993 ss 68, 76, 94 and 96 Local Government (Approvals) Regulation 1993 reg 12

CATEGORY: Principal judgment

Armidale City Council v Alec Finlayson Pty Limited [1999] FCA 330; (1999) 104 LGERA 9 Bamford v Albert Shire Council [1998] 2 Qd R 125; (1998) 97 LGERA 33 Bryan v Maloney (1995) 182 CLR 609 Caltex Refineries (Queensland) Pty Limited v Stavar [2009] NSWCA 258 De Cesare v Deluxe Motors Pty Ltd (1996) 67 SASR 28 Donoghue v Stevenson [1932] AC 562 Graham Barclay Oysters Pty Ltd v Ryan [2002] HCA 54; (2002) 211 CLR 540 Hill v Van Erp [1997] HCA 9; (1997) 188 CLR 159 Mid-City Skin Cancer & Laser Centre Pty Ltd v Zahedi-Anarak [2006] NSWSC 844; (2006) 67 NSWLR 569 CASES CITED: Moorabool Shire Council v Taitapanui [2006] VSCA 30; (2006) 14 VR 55 Perre v Apand Pty Limited [1999] HCA 36; (1999) 198 CLR 180 Port Stevens Shire Council v Booth [2005] NSWCA 323; (2005) 148 LGERA 351 Pyrenees Shire Council v Day [1998] HCA 3; (1998) 192 CLR 330 Roads and Traffic Authority of NSW v Refrigerated Roadways Pty Limited [2009] NSWCA 263; (2009) 53 MVR 502; [2009] Aust Torts Reports 82-031 Sutherland Shire Council v Becker [2006] NSWCA 344; (2006) 150 LGERA 184 Sutherland Shire Council v Heyman [1985] HCA 41; (1985) 157 CLR 424 Vairy v Wyong Shire Council [2005] HCA 62; (2005) 223 CLR 422 Western Districts Development Pty Limited v Baulkham Hills Shire Council [2009] NSWCA 283; (2009) 169 LGERA 62 Wollongong City Council v Fregnan [1982] 1 NSWLR 244 Woolcock Street Investments Pty Limited v CDG Pty Limited [2004] HCA 16; (2004) 216 CLR 515