Northern Residential Pty Limited v Newcastle City Council [2009] NSWCA 141

Reported Decision: 75 NSWLR 192166 LGERA 352

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION: Northern Residential Pty Limited v Newcastle City Council [2009] NSWCA 141 This decision has been amended. Please see the end of the judgment for a list of the amendments.

HEARING DATE(S): 26 May 2009

JUDGMENT DATE: 5 June 2009

JUDGMENT OF: Hodgson JA at 1; Tobias JA at 73; Simpson J at 74

(1) Appeal allowed. DECISION: (2) Orders below set aside, and in lieu therefore proceedings dismissed with costs. (3) The Council to pay the appellants' costs of the appeal.

CATCHWORDS: LOCAL GOVERNMENT – Development consent for subdivision of land – Subdivision works to be carried out – Requirements for inspections of stages of subdivision works – Whether inspections required by principal certifying authority – Inspections carried out by person other than a certifying authority – Subdivision certificates issued – Whether s 109E(3) of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 breached – Whether subdivision certificate invalid – Exercise of discretion.

Building Professionals Act 2005 Building Professionals Regulation 2007 LEGISLATION CITED: Conveyancing Act 1919 s 195C, s 195F Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 Pt 3A, s 75S, 81A, s 109C(1)(d), s 109D(1)(d), (1A) and (3), s 109E(1) and (3), s 109J(1)(c), (2) and (3), and s 109P Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Quality of Construction) Act 2003 Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2000, cl 162A cl 162B, cl 163

CATEGORY: Principal judgment

ACR Trading Pty Limited v Fat-Sel Pty Limited (1987) 11 NSWLR 67 Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority [1998] HCA 28; (1998) 194 CLR 355 Leichhardt Municipal Council v Montgomery [2007] HCA 6; (2007) 81 ALJR 686 Mifsud v Campbell (1991) 21 NSWLR 725 CASES CITED: Noonan v Australian Newsprint Mills Limited (New South Wales Court of Appeal, 23 August 1995, unreported) Scott v Davis [2000] HCA 52; (2000) 204 CLR 333 Smith v Wyong Shire Council [2003] NSWCA 322; (2003) 132 LGERA 145 Sweeney v Boylan Nominees [2006] HCA 19; (2006) 226 CLR 161 Warringah Shire Council v Sedevcic (1987) 10 NSWLR 335