Johnson Property Group Pty Ltd v Thornton [2015] NSWSC 1389

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Johnson Property Group Pty Ltd v Thornton [2015] NSWSC 1389 Hearing dates: 14, 15, 16, 21 and 22 September 2015 Date of orders: 22 September 2015 Decision date: 22 September 2015 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Young AJA Decision: Proceedings dismissed with costs Catchwords: CONTRACT – alleged oral contract to co-operate in good faith with land developer – fails on facts EQUITY – proprietary estoppel – developer adds value to defendants' land by his activities after conversation with defendants whether either because of proprietary estoppel or unjust enrichment developer entitled to compensation WORDS AND PHRASES – co-operate; good faith Legislation Cited: Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW) Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (NSW) Cases Cited: Andrews v Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd [2012] HCA 30; (2012) 247 CLR 203 Anshn v Port Melbourne Authority [1981] HCA; 45 (1981) 147 CLR 589 Cadorange Pty Ltd (in liq) v Tanga Holdings Pty Ltd (1990) 20 NSWLR 26 Cobbe v Yeoman's Row Management Ltd [2008] UKHL 55; [2008] 1 WLR 1752 David Securities Pty Ltd v Commonwealth Bank of Australia [1992] HCA 353; (1992) 175 CLR 343 East India Co v Vincent (1740) 2 Atk 83; (1740) 26 ER 451; [1558-1774] All ER Rep 615 Falcke v Scottish Imperial Insurance Co (1886) 34 ChD 234 Foskett v McKeown [1998] Ch 265; [1998] 2 WLR 298 Leichhardt Municipal Council v Green [2004] NSWCA 341 Guo v Xiao (No 2) [2014] NSWSC 1416 McMahon v National Foods Milk Ltd (2009) 25 VR 251 Paccaccio v ANZ Banking Group Ltd [2015] FCAFC 50 Raphael Shin Enterprises Pty Ltd v Waterpoint Shepherds Bay Pty Ltd [2014] NSWSC 743 Texts Cited: The Law of Proprietary Estoppel, Ben McFarlane (Oxford University Press, 2014) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Johnson Property Group Pty Ltd – first plaintiff Vermont Quays Pty Ltd – second plaintiff Bona Vista Properties Pty Ltd – third plaintiff Fernadell Properties Pty Ltd – fourth plaintiff David Robert Thornton – first defendant Christopher Michael Thornton – second defendant Representation: Counsel: T S Hale SC with Ms Z Steggall – for the plaintiffs D L Cook with S Nash – for the defendants