Cenric Group v TWT Property Group [2018] NSWSC 1570

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Cenric Group v TWT Property Group [2018] NSWSC 1570 Hearing dates: 30/07/2018, 31/07/2018, 01/08/2018, 10/09/2018, 11/09/2018 and 12/09/2018 Date of orders: 18 October 2018 Decision date: 18 October 2018 Jurisdiction: Equity - Technology and Construction List Before: McDougall J Decision: See at [266]. Parties to bring in draft orders. Catchwords: CONTRACT – where parties entered into various contractual arrangements to harvest sandstone – which party is entitled to share in royalties from that harvesting – on what terms must the royalties be paid – when must payment of royalties be made.

CONTRACT – whether an oral agreement or variation was made – enforceability and effect of that variation – whether contracts validly terminated – construction of the terms of contracts and subcontracts – importance of not using a hindsight view of commerciality to disregard the terms of the contract.

BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION – where milestone dates were missed – liquidated damages – application of prevention principle prevents award of such damages. Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW) Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (NSW) Cases Cited: Armory v Delamirie (1722) 1 Strange 505; 93 ER 664 Beatty v Guggenheim Exploration Co (1919) 225 NY 380 Commercial Union Assurance Company of Australia Ltd v Ferrcom Pty Ltd (1991) 22 NSWLR 389 Con-Stan Industries of Australia Pty Ltd v Norwich Winterthur Insurance (Australia) Ltd (1986) 160 CLR 226 Fortescue Metals Group Ltd v Commonwealth (2013) 250 CLR 548 GEC Marconi Systems Pty Ltd v BHP Information Technology Pty Ltd (2003) 128 FCR 1 Hawcroft General Trading Co Pty Ltd v Hawcroft [2017] NSWCA 91 Hospital Products Ltd v United States Surgical Corporation (1984) 156 CLR 41. Houghton v Immer (No 155) Pty Ltd (1997) 44 NSWLR 46 John Alexander's Clubs Pty Ltd v White City Tennis Club Ltd (2010) 241 CLR 1 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 LJP Investments Pty Ltd v Howard Chia Investments Pty Ltd (No 2) (1990) 24 NSWLR 499 McDonald v Dennys Lascelles Ltd (1933) 48 CLR 457. MWB Business Exchange Centres Ltd v Rock Advertising Ltd [2018] 2 WLR 1603 Peter Turnbull & Co Pty Ltd v Mundus Trading Co Australasia Pty Ltd (1954) 90 CLR 235 Probuild Constructions (Aust) Pty Ltd v DDI Group Pty Ltd (2017) 95 NSWLR 82 Shepherd v Felt & Textiles of Australia Ltd (1931) 45 CLR 359 Spiers Earthworks Pty Ltd v Landtec Projects Corp Pty Ltd (No.2) (2012) 287 ALR 360 Watson v Foxman (1995) 49 NSWLR 315 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Cenric Group Pty Ltd (First Plaintiff) TWT Property Group Pty Ltd (First Defendant) Bundanoon Sandstone Pty Ltd (Second Defendant) Representation: Counsel: CRC Newlinds SC / D Hughes / R Thrift (Plaintiff) B DeBuse (First Defendant) M Ashhurst SC (on 30/07/2018 – 01/08/2018) / F Corsaro (on 10/09/2018 – 12/09/2018) SC / G Gee (Second Defendant)