Botany Bay City Council v Pet Carriers International Pty Limited [2013] NSWLEC 147

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Botany Bay City Council v Pet Carriers International Pty Limited [2013] NSWLEC 147 Hearing dates: 19 August 2013 Decision date: 13 September 2013 Jurisdiction: Class 1 Before: Preston CJ Decision: The orders of the Court are: 1. The appeals are dismissed. 2. The appellant is to pay the respondent's costs of each appeal. Catchwords: APPEAL - appeals against Commissioner's decisions on questions of law - Commissioner grants development consent for use of building for pet transportation business and revokes Council's order for cessation of use - characterisation of purpose of development - whether Commissioner erred in holding that development was permissible as "commercial premises" and not prohibited as "airport-related land use" and/or "air freight forwarder" under the relevant local environmental plan - Commissioner did not err in characterising development - whether Commissioner denied Council procedural fairness by not imposing proffered draft condition that was not in dispute in granting development consent - consideration of whether the failure of a commissioner to accord with requirements of procedural fairness in making a decision involves error on a decision on a question of law - Commissioner did not deny Council procedural fairness - appeals dismissed - Council to pay respondent's costs of each appeal Legislation Cited: Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 ss 80A(1)(a), 97, 121B Land and Environment Court Act 1979 s 56A Registered Clubs Act 1976 Cases Cited: Abret v Wingecarribee Shire Council [2011] NSWCA 107; (2011) 180 LGERA 343 Aldi Stores v Newcastle City Council [2010] NSWLEC 227 Baulkham Hills Shire Council v O'Donnell (1990) 69 LGRA 404 Bardsley-Smith v Penrith City Council [2013] NSWCA 200 Berowra RSL Community and Bowling Club Ltd v Hornsby Shire Council [2001] NSWLEC 243; (2001) 114 LGERA 345 Botany Bay City Council v Marana Developments Pty Ltd [2012] NSWLEC 15 Cavasinni Constructions Pty Ltd v Fairfield City Council [2010] NSWLEC 65; 173 LGERA 456 C B Investments Pty Ltd v Colo Shire Council (1980) 41 LGRA 270 Chambers v Maclean Shire Council [2003] NSWCA 100; (2003) 57 NSWLR 152; (2003) 126 LGERA 7 Chamwell Pty Ltd v Strathfield Council [2007] NSWLEC 114; (2007) 151 LGERA 400 Codling v Manly Council [2011] NSWLEC 57; (2011) 184 LGERA 352 Design Power Associates Pty Ltd v Willoughby City Council [2005] NSWLEC 470; (2005) 148 LGERA 233 Director-General, Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care v Lambert [2009] NSWCA 102; (2009) 74 NSWLR 523 Egan v Hawkesbury City Council (1993) 79 LGERA 321 Foodbarn Pty Ltd v Solicitor-General (1975) 32 LGRA 157 Friends of Pryor Park Inc v Ryde Council (Unreported, Land and Environment Court of NSW, Bignold J, 25 September 1995) Hawkesbury City Council v Sammut [2002] NSWCA 18; (2002) 119 LGERA 171 Hutchinson v Roads and Traffic Authority [2000] NSWCA 332 Kostas v HIA Insurance Service Pty Ltd [2010] HCA 32; (2010) 241 CLR 390 Ku-ring-gai Municipal Council v Geoffrey Twibill & Associates (1979) 39 LGRA 154 Lizzio v Ryde Municipal Council (1983) 155 CLR 211 Pet Carriers International Pty Ltd v Botany Bay Council [2013] NSWLEC 1077 Segal v Waverley Council [2005] NSWCA 310, (2005) 64 NSWLR 177 Shire of Perth v O'Keefe (1964) 110 CLR 529 The Council of the City of Parramatta v Precision Rubber Service Pty Ltd (Unreported, Land and Environment Court of NSW, Pearlman CJ, 10 March 1995) Warringah Shire Council v Raffles [1979] 2 NSWLR 299; (1978) 38 LGERA 306 Woolworths Ltd v Pallas Newco Pty Ltd [2004] NSWCA 422; (2004) 61 NSWLR 707 Texts Cited: M J Beazley AO, "The distinction between questions of fact and law: a question without answer?" (2013) 11(3) The Judicial Review 279 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Botany Bay City Council (Appellant) Pet Carriers International Pty Limited (Respondent) Representation: Mr T S Hale SC (Appellant) Mr J S van Aalst (Barrister) (Respondent)