Community Action for Windsor Bridge Inc v NSW Roads and Maritime Services & anor [2015] NSWLEC 167

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Community Action for Windsor Bridge Inc v NSW Roads and Maritime Services & anor [2015] NSWLEC 167 Hearing dates: 22, 23 October 2014 Date of orders: 27 October 2015 Decision date: 27 October 2015 Jurisdiction: Class 4 Before: Brereton AJ Decision: All the grounds for review of the Minister's decision fail. Summons dismissed Catchwords: JUDICIAL REVIEW – application for declaration that decision of Minister for Planning and Infrastructure to approve destruction of Windsor Bridge and construction of new bridge invalid – whether decision void for lack of certainty and finality – whether Minister's decision defers determination of material modifications so as not to amount to "approval" – validity on grounds of finality and certainty to be determined by construction of statute vesting decision-making power – approval under (NSW) Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, Pt 5.1 – permissibility of degree of generality – requirement that outer limits of approval are discernible – relevance of complexity and scope of project under approval – whether outer parameters of approval defined – whether Minister failed to take into account relevant considerations – whether cultural heritage was mandatory relevant consideration – whether Minister failed to give proper consideration to cultural heritage – severance of void condition – whether severance of impugned condition, if invalid, would result in approval operating substantially differently – Wednesbury unreasonableness – application of doctrine in planning context – whether inclusion of impugned condition manifestly unreasonable. Legislation Cited: (CTH) Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (NSW) Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, s 75I, s 80, s 115T, s 115U, s 115U(1), s 115U(2), s 115U(3), s 115W, s 115W(1), s 115X(1), s 115X(2), s 115X(3), s 115Y(1), s 115Y(2), s 115Y(3), s 115Y(4), s 115Z(1), s 115Z(3), s 115Z(4), s 115Z(5), s 115Z(6), s 115ZA, s 115ZB, s 115ZB(1), s 115ZB(3), s 115ZI(1), s 115ZI(2), s 115ZJ(2), Pt 4, Pt 5, Pt 5.1 (NSW) Environmental Planning and Assessment (Part 3A Repeal) Act 2011 (NSW) Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2000, Schedule 2, Parts 3-4 (NSW) Interpretation Act 1987, s 32(2) (NSW) State Environmental Planning Policy (State and Regional Development) 2011, cl 14, Sch 3 cl 1(1) (NSW) State Environmental Planning Policy (Infrastructure) 2007, cl 94(1) Cases Cited: Allandale Blue Metal Pty Ltd v Roads and Maritime Services [2013] NSWCA 103; (2013) 195 LGERA 182 Associated Provincial Pictures Houses Ltd v Wednesbury Corporation [1947] EWCA Civ 1; [1948] 1 KB 223. Auburn Municipal Council v Szabo (1971) 67 LGRA Barrington - Gloucester - Stroud Preservation Alliance Inc v Minister for Planning and Infrastructure [2012] NSWLEC 197; (2012) 194 LGERA 113 Bat Advocacy NSW Inc v Minister for Environment Protection, Heritage and the Arts (2011) 180 LGERA 99 Belmorgan Property Development Pty v GPT Re Ltd [2007] NSWCA 171; (2007) 153 LGERA 450 Bruce v Cole (1998) 45 NSWLR 163 Buzzacott v Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities [2013] FCAFC 111; (2013) 215 FCR 301 Byron Shire Businesses For The Future Inc v Byron Council [1994] NSWLEC 159 Coffs Harbour City Council v The Minister for Planning and Infrastructure [2012] NSWLEC 4; (2012) 187 LGERA 252 Coffs Harbour City Council v The Minister for Planning and Infrastructure (2011) 184 LGERA 419 Dunsmuir v New Brunswick [2008] 1 SCR 190 Greek Australian Finance Corporation Pty Ltd v Sydney City Council (1974) 29 LGRA 130 Hubertus Schuetzenverein Liverpool Rifle Club Limited v Commonwealth of Australia [1994] FCA 1161; (1994) 51 FCR 213 Hubertus Schuetzenverein Liverpool Rifle Club Limited v Commonwealth of Australia (1995) 58 FCR 46; (1995) 88 LGERA 297; (1995) 130 ALR 447 Hurstville City Council v Renaldo Plus 3 Pty Limited [2006] NSWCA 248 Kent County Council v Kingsway Investments (Kent) Ltd [1971] AC 72 Khan v Minister for Immigration & Ethnic Affairs (1987) 14 LD 291 Kindimindi Investments Pty Ltd v Lane Cove Council, [2006] NSWCA 23; (2006) 143 LGERA 277 Maitland City Council v Anambah Homes Pty Ltd [2005] NSWCA 455; (2005) 64 NSWLR 695 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; 87 ALJR 618 Minister for Planning v Walker (2008) 161 LGERA 423 Mison v Randwick Municipal Council (1991) 23 NSWLR 734 Notaras v Waverly Council [2007] NSWCA 333 Parramatta City Council v Hale (1982) 47 LGRA 319 Parramatta City Council v Shell Company of Australia Limited (1971) 2 NSWLR 632; 27 LGRA 102 Pittwater Council v Minister for Planning [2011] NSWLEC 162; (2011) 184 LGERA 419 Property Development Pty v GPT Re Ltd [2007] NSWCA 171; (2007) 153 LGERA 450 Qantas Airways Ltd v Aravco Ltd (1996) 185 CLR 43 Rivers SOS Inc v Minister for Planning [2009] NSWLEC 213; (2009) 178 LGERA 347 Randwick Municipal Council v Pacific-Seven Pty Ltd (1989) 69 LGRA 13 Scott v Wollongong City Council (1992) 75 LGRA 112 Sloane v McDonald Industries (Sales) Pty Ltd (1989) 17 NSWLR 86 Transport Acton Group against Motorways Inc v Roads and Traffic Authority [1999] NSWCA 196; (1999) 46 NSWLR 598 Ulan Coal Mines Ltd v Minister for Planning [2008] NSWLEC 185; (2008) 160 LGRA 20 Walsh v Parramatta City Council [2007] NSWLEC 255 Warkworth Mining Ltd v Bulga Milbrodale Progress Association Inc [2014] NSWCA 105; (2014) 200 LGERA 375 Weal v Bathurst City Council [2000] NSWCA 88; (2000) 111 LGERA 181 Wechsler v Auburn Council (1997) 130 LGERA 134 Winn v Director-General of National Parks and Wildlife [2001] NSWCA 17; (2001) 130 LGERA 508 Zhang v Canterbury City Council (2001) 51 NSWLR 589 Texts Cited: Casey & Lowe Windsor Bridge Replacement Project Independent Heritage Review, August 2013 Illawarra Regional Environmental Plan No 1 Urban Design and Landscape Concept Report October 2012 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Community Action for Windsor Bridge Inc (Applicant) NSW Roads and Maritime Services (1st Respondent) Minister for Planning and Infrastructure (2nd Respondent) Representation: N.J. Williams SC w M.C. Fraser (Applicant) A. Galasso SC w C Norton (1st Respondent) J.K. Kirk SC w Z Heger (2nd Respondent)