Leichhardt Council v Geitonia Pty Ltd (No 6) [2015] NSWLEC 51

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Leichhardt Council v Geitonia Pty Ltd (No 6) [2015] NSWLEC 51 Hearing dates: 23-27 February 2015, 2-12 March 2015 Date of orders: 02 April 2015 Decision date: 02 April 2015 Jurisdiction: Class 5 Before: Biscoe J Decision: Each defendant is convicted as charged. Catchwords: DEVELOPMENT CONSENT – prosecution of developer/landowner company, its owner/controller, and its project manager for demolishing the façade of a building without development consent where development consent was required under a local environmental plan and contrary to the terms of a development consent that had been issued–whether on the proper construction of the consent the demolition was permitted – if so, whether the conduct of the demolisher should be attributed to the defendants – if so, whether there is a defence of necessity based on the condition of the façade. Legislation Cited: Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 ss 4(1), 76A, 76B, 80(3), 80(12), 81A(5), 83, 96, 109C(1)(b), 125(1) Evidence Act 1995 ss 87(1)(a), 135(a), 137 Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2000 cll 95(5), 100(4) Leichhardt Local Environmental Plan 2000 cll 16(7) 16(8), Part 8 Division 2 (cll 139-142) Work Health and Safety Act 2011 Cases Cited: Bardsley-Smith v Penrith City Council [2013] NSWCA 200, 195 LGERA 34 Baulkham Hills Shire Council v Ko-Veda Holiday Park Estate Ltd [2009] NSWCA 160, 167 LGERA 395 Bayley v Police (SA) [2007] SASC 411, 178 A Crim R 202 Braysich v The Queen [2011] HCA 14, 243 CLR 434 Burwood Council v Ralan Burwood Pty Ltd (No 3) [2014] NSWCA 404 Cann's Pty Ltd v Commonwealth [1946] HCA 5, 71 CLR 210 CTM v The Queen [2008] HCA 25, 236 CLR 440 Department of Environment and Climate Change v Jack and Bill Issa Pty Ltd (No 5) [2009] NSWLEC 232, 172 LGERA 225 Environment Protection Authority v McConnell Dowell Constructors (Aust) Pty Ltd [2003] NSWLEC 70, 128 LGERA 240 Environment Protection Authority v Multiplex Constructions Pty Ltd [2000] NSWLEC 6, 112 LGERA 1 Hamilton v Whitehead [1988] HCA 65, 166 CLR 121 In Re A (Children) (Conjoined Twins: Surgical Separation) [2000] 4 All ER 961 In re F (Mental Patient: Sterilisation) [1990] 2 AC 1 King Gee Clothing Company Pty Ltd v Commonwealth [1945] HCA 23, 71 CLR 184 Kondis v State Transport Authority [1984] HCA 61, 154 CLR 672 Leichhardt Council v Geitonia Pty Ltd (No 3) [2015] NSWLEC 31 Lismore City Council v Ihalainen (No 2) [2014] NSWLEC 198 Mattar v R [2012] NSWCCA 98 McKey v The Queen [2012] NSWCCA 1, 219 A Crim R 227 Melbourne v The Queen [1999] HCA 32, 198 CLR 1 North Sydney Council v Moline (No 2) [2008] NSWLEC 169 Perka v The Queen (1984) 13 DLR (4th) 1 R v Latimer [2001] 1 SCR 3 R R v The Queen [2011] NSWCCA 235, 216 A Crim R 489 R v Cook [2004] NSWCCA 52 R v Loughnan [1981] VR 443 R v Sood (No 3) [2006] NSWSC 762 Rogers v R (1996) 86 A Crim R 542 Shepherd v R [1990] HCA 56, 170 CLR 573 Stoneman v Lyons [1975] HCA 59, 133 CLR 550 Taiapa v The Queen [2009] HCA 53, 240 CLR 95 The Queen v Dudley and Stephens (1884) 14 QBD 273 Westfield Management Ltd v Perpetual Trustee Co Ltd [2006] NSWCA 245 Winn v Director-General of National Parks and Wildlife [2001] NSWCA 17, 130 LGERA 508 Texts Cited: Fairall and Yeo, Criminal Defences in Australia (4th ed, 2005, LexisNexis) Glanville Williams, Criminal Law – The General Part (2nd ed, 1961 Stevens & Sons Ltd) Macquarie Dictionary (3rd ed) Category: Principal judgment Parties: 50795 of 2013 Leichhardt Council (Prosecutor) Geitonia Pty Limited (Defendant)