Dimitrios Michos & Another v Council of the City of Botany Bay [2012] NSWSC 625

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Dimitrios Michos & Another v Council of the City of Botany Bay [2012] NSWSC 625 Hearing dates: 10,11,12, 13 April 2012 Decision date: 08 June 2012 Jurisdiction: Equity Division Before: Slattery J Decision: Mandatory injunction granted to remove fig tree roots and to prevent the penetration of roots from the defendant Council's nature strip into the plaintiffs' residential property. Compensation awarded for physical damage to gardens and structures on plaintiffs' property. Damages awarded for loss of amenity to plaintiffs' property. Directions given to facilitate determination of costs and other consequential orders. Catchwords: NUISANCE - fig trees growing on defendant Council's land adjacent to plaintiffs' residential property - whether fig tree roots extend into plaintiffs' property - whether fig tree roots caused damage to lawns and structures on plaintiffs' property - whether the cost of repairing damage to structures on the plaintiffs' land should be apportioned - the extent of such apportionment - between any fig tree related damage and any deterioration due to environmental factors - whether plaintiffs have suffered any loss of amenity - whether the circumstances warrant the grant of a mandatory injunction to remove the fig tree roots and prevent further ingress of roots. Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) Limitation Act 1969 (NSW) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 Cases Cited: Asman v MaClurcan (1985) 3 BPR 9592 Baulkham Hills Shire Council v AV Walsh Pty Ltd [1968] 3 NSWR 138 Bennetts v Honroth [1959] SASR 170 Bone v Seale [1975] 1 WLR 797 Christie v Davey [1893] 1 Ch 316 Don Brass Foundry Pty Ltd v Stead (1948) 48 SR (NSW) 482 Gales Holdings Pty Ltd v Tweed Shire Council [2011] NSWSC 1128 Halsey v Esso Petroleum Co Ltd [1961] 1 WLR 683 Hargrave v Goldman (1963) 110 CLR 40 Hosie v De Ferro (1984) 3 BPR 9418 Khyatt v Morgan [1961] NZLR 1020 [1962] NZLR 791 Malliate v Sharpe [2001] NSWSC 1057 McCombe v Read [1955] 2 QB 429 Morgan v Khyatt [1962] NZLR 791 Morgan v Khyatt [1964] 1 WLR 475 Orr v Ford (1989) 167 CLR 316 Overseas Tankship (UK) Ltd v Miller Steamship Company Pty Ltd (Wagon Mound (No 2)) [1967] 1 AC 617 Oldham v Lawson (No 1) [1976] VR 654 Owners Strata Plan 4085 v Mallone (2006) 12 BPR 23,691 Pride of Derby and Derbyshire Angling Association Ltd v British Celanese Ltd [1953] Ch 149 Proprietors of Strata Plan No 14198 v Cowell (1989) 24 NSWLR 478 Redland Bricks Ltd v Morris [1970] AC 652 Robson v Leischke (2008) 72 NSWLR 98 Spencer v Silva [1942] SASR 213 Stockwell v Victoria [2001] VSC 497 Sturges v Bridgman (1879) 11 Ch D 852 Sutherland Shire Council v Becker [2006] NSWCA 344 Van Son v Forestry Commission of New South Wales (1995) 86 LGERA 108 Yared v Glenhurst Gardens Pty Ltd [2002] NSWSC 11 Category: Principal judgment Parties: First Plaintiff:- Dimitrios Michos Second Plaintiff:- Rene Michos Defendant:- Council of the City of Botany Bay Representation: Plaintiffs:- Ian E Davidson SC; Andrew Connolly Defendant:- Paul S Jones Plaintiffs:- Francis Farmakidis - JSM Lawyers Defendant:- Gary Weetman - McCulloch & Buggy File Number(s): 2009/290790 Publication restriction: No