Cuzeno Pty Limited v The Owners - Strata Plan 65870 [2013] NSWSC 1385

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Cuzeno Pty Limited v The Owners - Strata Plan 65870 [2013] NSWSC 1385 Hearing dates: 26-28 August 2013 Decision date: 20 September 2013 Jurisdiction: Equity Division Before: Darke J Decision: See paragraphs 133, 137, 145, 151 and 152 Catchwords: REAL PROPERTY - easements - implied - non-derogation from grant - first rule in Wheeldon v Burrows - requirement that quasi-easement be used by the grantor prior to grant - where surrounding circumstances indicate parties did not intend easement to pass

REAL PROPERTY - statutory easements - Conveyancing Act 1919 s 88K - whether easement reasonably necessary for the effective use of the land - whether all reasonable attempts made to obtain easement - whether court should refuse to grant easement on discretionary grounds - availability of alternate statutory dispute resolution mechanism for strata management schemes

REAL PROPERTY - statutory easements - Conveyancing Act 1919 s 88K - costs of application - whether conduct of defendant unreasonable Legislation Cited: Conveyancing Act 1919 Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 Law of Property Act 1925 (UK) Real Property Act 1900 Strata Schemes (Freehold Development) Act 1973 Strata Schemes Management Act 1996 Sydney Water Regulation 2006 Cases Cited: Bloom v Lepre [2008] NSWSC 70 Campbell v McGrath [2005] NSWSC 496 City of Canterbury v Saad [2013] NSWCA 251 Horsfall v Braye (1908) 7 CLR 629 ING Bank (Australia) Ltd v O'Shea [2010] NSWCA 71 Kent v Kavanagh [2007] Ch 1 McGrath v Campbell (2006) 68 NSWLR 229; 2006 NSWCA 180 McKeand v Thomas [2006] NSWSC 1028 Moorebank Recyclers Pty Ltd v Tanlane Pty Ltd [2012] NSWCA 445 Nelson v Walker (1910) 10 CLR 560 Westfield Management Ltd v Perpetual Trustee Company Ltd (2007) 233 CLR 528; [2007] HCA 45 Wheeldon v Burrows (1879) 12 Ch D 31 Williams v State Transit Authority (NSW) (2004) 60 NSWLR 286 Texts Cited: Butt, Land Law (6th ed, 2010) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Cuzeno Pty Limited (First Plaintiff) Topdaze Pty Limited (Second Plaintiff) The Owners - Strata Plan 65870 (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: L T Livingston (First and Second Plaintiff) L Gor (Defendant) Solicitors: Michie Shehadie & Co (First and Second Plaintiff) JS Mueller & Co (Defendant) File Number(s): 2013/46290 Publication restriction: Nil