Bradcorp Wilton Park Pty Limited v Country Garden Wilton West Pty Limited [2019] NSWSC 1407

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Bradcorp Wilton Park Pty Limited v Country Garden Wilton West Pty Limited [2019] NSWSC 1407 Hearing dates: 29, 30 July; 1, 5, 6, 7 August 2019; further written submissions ending 16 September 2019 Date of orders: 18 October 2019 Decision date: 18 October 2019 Jurisdiction: Equity - Commercial List Before: Parker J Decision: See at [283] Catchwords: CONTRACTS — Construction — Put and call option agreements over land – exercise of put option conditional on fulfilment of conditions precedent comprising rezoning of land, surrender of certain rights under mining lease and construction of access ramp to nearby highway – satisfaction of conditions precedent and associated notice requirements – direct inconsistency between clauses concerning mechanism for rescission – repugnancy.

ENERGY AND RESOURCES — MINING — Mining Act 1992 (NSW), s 126 – cancellation of rights under mining lease – notice sent indirectly to responsible officer effective under s 126(4).

CONTRACTS — Termination — Repudiation of contract – Purported termination of put and call agreements – allegedly repudiatory conduct prior to and following commencement of proceedings which sought specific performance of option agreement – whether insistence on erroneous construction of agreement in context of commencement of proceedings repudiatory – entitlement to terminate.

CONTRACTS — Remedies — Damages — Loss of bargain – call option fees which grantor would have received on rescission of option agreement. Legislation Cited: Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (NSW), ss 1.4, 3.23, 7.24, Part 3 Mining Act 1992 (NSW), s 126 State Environmental Planning Policy (Sydney Region Growth Centres) 2006 (NSW), cll 5.1(A)(1)(c), 6A, 94(1) State Environmental Planning Policy (Sydney Region Growth Centres) Amendment (North Wilton Precinct) 2018 (NSW) Cases Cited: Ciavarella v Balmer (1983) 153 CLR 438; [1983] HCA 26 Comdox No. 24 Pty Ltd v Robins [2009] NSWSC 367 DTR Nominees Pty Ltd v Mona Homes Pty Ltd (1978) 138 CLR 423; (1978) 52 ALJR 360 Forbes v Git [1922] 1 AC 256 Forster v Jododex Australia Pty Ltd (1972) 127 CLR 421; [1972] HCA 61 Greencapital Aust Pty Ltd v Pasminco Cockle Creek Smelter Pty Ltd (Subject to Deed of Company Arrangement) [2019] NSWCA 53 James Shaffer Ltd v Findlay Durham & Brodie [1953] 1 WLR 106 Mackay v Dick (1881) 6 App Cas 251 Owners Strata Plan 76502 v Water Point Shepherd's Bay Pty Ltd [2015] NSWSC 1129 Pagnan SpA v Tradax Ocean Transportation SA [1987] 3 All ER 565; [1987] 2 Lloyd's Rep 342 Prowse v McIntyre (1961) 111 CLR 264; (1961) 35 ALJR 373 Spettabile Consorzio Veneziana di Armamento é Navigazione v Northumberland Ship Building Co Ltd [1918-19] All ER 963; (1919) 121 LT 628 Sweet & Maxwell Limited v Universal News Services Ltd [1964] 3 All ER 30; [1964] 2 QB 699 Woodar Investment Development Ltd v Wimpey Construction UK Ltd [1980] 1 All ER 571; [1980] 1 WLR 277 Texts Cited: A H Simpson, A treatise on the law and practice relating to infants (3rd ed, 1909, London : Stevens and Hayes) at 3 J D Heydon, M J Leeming and P G Turner, Meagher Gummow and Lehane's Equity: Doctrines and Remedies (5th ed, 2015, LexisNexis Butterworths Australia) at [20-265]-[20-270] Category: Principal judgment Parties: Bradcorp Wilton Park Pty Limited (Plaintiff) Country Garden Wilton West Pty Ltd (First Defendant) Country Garden Australia Pty Ltd (Second Defendant) Representation: Counsel: R Newlinds SC/D Hughes/L Rich (Plaintiff) MJ Darke SC/R Yezerski (First Defendant and Second Defendant)