Moorebank Recyclers Pty Ltd v Benedict Industries Pty Ltd [2015] NSWLEC 40

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Moorebank Recyclers Pty Ltd v Benedict Industries Pty Ltd [2015] NSWLEC 40 Hearing dates: 9-12 February 2015 Date of orders: 18 March 2015 Decision date: 18 March 2015 Jurisdiction: Class 4 Before: Preston CJ Decision: Orders as set out at [199] Catchwords: Judicial review – determination to grant development consent to marina development – site had history of potentially contaminating activities – preconditions to granting consent under cl 7 of State Environmental Planning Policy No 55 - Remediation of Land (SEPP 55) – contamination and remediation to be considered before determining development application – whether preliminary investigation of land and report on it provided to the consent authority – whether consideration by consent authority of report specifying findings of a preliminary investigation – no investigation or report and no consideration – whether consideration of contamination of land, suitability of land after remediation for proposed use, and remediation before land is used – consideration of contamination, but not suitability or remediation – preconditions to granting consent not satisfied – breach of SEPP 55 – relief to be granted to remedy and restrain breach – whether Court should in its discretion not declare consent invalid and direct alternative process of investigation and consideration of contamination and remediation – orders made declaring consent invalid and restraining carrying out of marina development. Legislation Cited: Contaminated Land Management Act 1997 Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 ss 24(1), 80(1), 79C, 123, 124, 145C, Sch 4A Land and Environment Court Act 1979 ss 20(2), 23, 25B, Pt 3 Div 3 Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1991 Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2000 cl 7(1) of Sch 2, cl 23 of Sch 3 State Environmental Planning Policy No 55 – Remediation of Land Cases Cited: Arnold v Minister Administering the Water Management Act 2000 [2014] NSWCA 386 Australians for Sustainable Development Inc v Minister for Planning [2011] NSWLEC 33; (2011) 182 LGERA 370 Buck v Bavone [1976] HCA 24; (1976) 135 CLR 110 Chisholm v Pittwater Council [2001] NSWCA 104 Cariste Pty Ltd v The Council of the City of Blue Mountains [1996] NSWCA 92 DEXUS Funds Management Ltd v Blacktown City Council (No 3) [2011] NSWLEC 230 Corporation of the City of Enfield v Development Assessment Commission [2000] HCA 5; (2000) 199 CLR 135 GPT RE Ltd v Belmorgan Property Development Ltd [2008] NSWCA 256; (2008) 72 NSWLR 647 Hoxton Park Residents Action Group Inc v Liverpool City Council (No 3) [2012] NSWLEC 43; (2012) 190 LGERA 119 Huntlee Pty Ltd v Sweetwater Action Group Inc [2011] NSWCA 378; (2011) 185 LGERA 429 Jolly v District Council of Yorketown [1968] HCA 55; (1968) 119 CLR 347 Minister for Aboriginal Affairs v Peko-Wallsend Ltd [1986] HCA 40; (1986) 162 CLR 24 Minister for Immigration and Citizenship v Li [2013] HCA 18; (2013) 249 CLR 332 Minister for Immigration and Citizenship v SZMDS [2010] HCA 16; (2010) 240 CLR 611 Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs v Wu Shan Liang [1996] HCA 6; (1996) 185 CLR 259 Phosphate Resources Ltd v Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts (No 2) [2008] FCA 1521; (2008) 251 ALR 80 R v Connell; Ex parte Hetton Bellbird Collieries Ltd [1944] HCA 42; (1944) 69 CLR 407 Tickner v Chapman (1995) 57 FCR 451; (1995) 89 LGERA 1 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Moorebank Recyclers Pty Ltd (Applicant) Benedict Industries Pty Ltd (First Respondent) Tanlane Pty Ltd (Second Respondent) Sydney West Joint Regional Planning Panel (Third Respondent) Liverpool City Council (Fourth Respondent) Representation: Counsel: Mr T F Robertson SC with Mr J E Lazarus (Applicant) Mr T S Hale SC with Mr D Hume (First and Second Respondents) No appearance (Third Respondent) No appearance (Fourth Respondent)