Effeney v Millar Investments Pty Ltd & ors [2011] NSWSC 708

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Effeney v Millar Investments Pty Ltd & ors [2011] NSWSC 708 Hearing dates: 7 - 12 April 2011 Decision date: 08 July 2011 Jurisdiction: Equity Division Before: Ward J Decision: Application for extinguishment or modification of easement benefiting third defendant dismissed Catchwords: REAL PROPERTY - easements - right of carriageway - application for extinguishment or modification of easement benefiting local Council - whether easement has been abandoned pursuant to s 89(1A) and (1)(b) of the Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW) - whether easement is obsolete pursuant to s 89(1)(a) - whether there would be substantial injury to the Council in the case of extinguishment pursuant to s 89(1)(c) - whether order for extinguishment could be made subject to a condition for relocation of easement - HELD - application dismissed - no intentional abandonment of easement established - doubt as to whether non-use for 20 years - even if deeming provision applied and no use for 20 years, discretion would not be exercised in favour of extinguishment - easement continues to serve useful purpose and has not become obsolete - additional costs likely to be incurred by the Council should extinguishment take place means that it cannot be said that extinguishment would cause no substantial injury - order for extinguishment subject to a condition for relocation would amount to modification of easement outside the Court's power CIVIL PROCEDURE - whether for purposes of deeming provision in s 89(1A) an application is made when summons filed or when plaintiff moves on motion - HELD - obiter dicta - deeming provision can operate provided that as at the date when the plaintiff moves on the application, there has been at least 20 years of non-use Legislation Cited: Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW) Real Property Act 1900 (NSW) Real Property and Conveyancing Legislation Amendment Bill 2009 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) Cases Cited: Alliance Economic Investment Co. Limited v. Berton [1923] 92 LJKB 750 Ashoil Holdings Pty Ltd v Fassoulas [2005] NSWCA 80 Ashoil Pty Ltd v Fassoulas & Ors [2004] NSWSC 554 Benn v Hardinge (1992) 66 P & CR 246 Breskvar v Wall (1971) 126 CLR 376 Castagna v Great Wall Resources Pty Limited [2005] NSWSC 942 Durian (Holdings) Pty Ltd v Cavacourt Pty Ltd (2000) 10 BPR 18,099 Figgins Holdings Pty Ltd v SEAA Enterprises Pty Ltd (1999) 196 CLR 245 Frasers Lorne Pty Ltd v Joyce Goldsworthy Burke & Ors [2008] NSWSC 743 Gotobed v Pridmore (1970) 115 SJ 78 Gower v Woodman Sales Pty Ltd [1988] 2 Qd R 15 Guth v Robinson (1977) 1 BPR 9209 Harris v Flower (1904) 74 LJ Ch 127 Truman, Hanbury, Buxton and Company Limited's Application [1956] 1 QB 261 Leue v Reynolds (1986) 4 NSWLR 590 Loclot Pty Limited v Pullen [2003] 56 NSWLR 592 Long v Michie [2003] NSWSC 233 Markos v OR Autor Pty. Limited [2007] NSWSC 810 Neighbourhood Association DP No 285220 v Moffat [2008] NSWSC 54 Nickerson v Barraclough & ors [1979] 3 All ER 312; 3 WLR 562 Nickerson v Barraclough & ors [1981] Ch 426 Odey v Barber [2006] EWHC 3109 (Ch) Peacock v Custins [2002] 1 WLR 1815; [2001] 2 All ER 827 Pieper v Edwards (1982) NSW ConvR 56-060 Powell v Langdon (1944) 45 SR (NSW) 136 Proprietors Strata Plan No 9968 v Proprietors Strata Plan No 11173 [1979] 2 NSWLR 605 Re Henderson's Conveyance [1940] 1 Ch 835 Re Mason and the Conveyancing Act (1960) 78 WN (NSW) 925 Re Roseblade; Re Foenander [1964-5] NSWR 2044 Re Rosedale Farm (NSW) Pty Ltd [2010] NSWSC 1321 Sertari Pty Ltd v Nirimba Developments Pty Ltd [2007] NSWCA 324 Shelbina Pty Ltd v Richards [2009] NSWSC 1449 Swan v Sinclair [1924] 1 Ch 254 Tanlane Pty Limited v Moorebank Recyclers Pty. Limited [2008] NSWSC 1341 Tehidy Minerals Ltd v Norman [1971] 2 QB 528 Thorpe v Brumfitt (1873) LR 8 Ch App 650 Tomara Holdings Pty Ltd v Pongrass [2002] NSWSC 332 Treweeke v 36 Wolseley Road Pty Ltd (1973) 128 CLR 274 Tujilo v Watts [2005] NSWSC 209 Ward v Ward (1852) 7 Ex 838 Westfield Management Limited v Perpetual Trustee Co Limited [2007] HCA 45; (2007) 233 CLR 528 Williams v James (1867) LR 2 CP 577 Williams v Usherwood (1981) 45 P & CR 235 Windsurf Holdings Pty Ltd v Leonard; Carlson v Leonard; Wyvill v Leonard [2009] NSWCA 6 Texts Cited: Bradbrook A & Neave M, Easements and Restrictive Covenants in Australia (2nd edn) Butt P, Land Law (5th edn) Cairns B, Australian Civil Procedure (5th edn) Gale on Easements (17th and 18th edn) Goddard on Easements (8th edn) Category: Principal judgment Parties: David James Effeney (Plaintiff) Millar Investments Pty Ltd (First Defendant) Caroline Balog (Second Defendant) Wingecarribee Shire Council (Third Defendant) Representation: D L Warren (Plaintiff) B DeBuse (Third Defendant) K A Garling (Plaintiff) Garland Hawthorn Brahe (First Defendant) Marsdens Law Group (Third Defendant) File Number(s): 10/091577