Lithgow City Council v Newera Defendo Pty Ltd [2019] NSWLEC 188

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Lithgow City Council v Newera Defendo Pty Ltd [2019] NSWLEC 188 Hearing dates: 12 November 2019 Date of orders: 05 December 2019 Decision date: 05 December 2019 Jurisdiction: Class 4 Before: Moore J Decision: See orders at [68] Catchwords: COMPLYING DEVELOPMENT CERTIFICATE - solar voltaic array erected in R4 Large Lot Residential Zone - array erected relying on complying development certificate issued pursuant to State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development) 2008 - policy not available to permit construction of the array - complying development certificate invalid - second complying development certificate issued - second complying development certificate relies on State Environmental Planning Policy (Infrastructure) 2007 - solar voltaic array rendered permissible in the R4 Zone despite being otherwise prohibited - validity of second complying development certificate - issue of whether State Environmental Planning Policy (Infrastructure) 2007 rendered solar voltaic array complying development - construction of provision of State Environmental Planning Policy (Infrastructure) 2007 - solar voltaic array complying development - second complying development certificate valid - summons dismissed Legislation Cited: Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, ss 3.28, 4.59 Interpretation Act 1978, s 33 Lithgow Local Environmental Plan 2014 State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development) 2008 State Environmental Planning Policy (Infrastructure) 2007, cll 4, 8, 20B, 26, 34-39, 58C, 71C, 116A, 130 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005, Pt 42 r 1 Cases Cited: Brown v Randwick City Council (2011) 183 LGERA 382; [2011] NSWLEC 172 Central Coast Council v 40 Gindurra Road Somersby Pty Ltd (No 2) [2019] NSWLEC 171 CIC Insurance Ltd v Bankstown Football Club Ltd (1997) 187 CLR 384; [1997] HCA 2 Cooper-Brookes (Wollongong) Pty Ltd v Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1981) 147 CLR 297; [1981] HCA 26 Kirk v Industrial Relations Commission; Kirk Group Holdings Pty Ltd v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Childs)(2010) 239 CLR 531; [2010] HCA 1 Latoudis v Casey (1990) 170 CLR 534; [1990] HCA 59 Project Blue Sky v ABA (1998) 194 CLR 355; [1998] HCA 28 Sze Tu v Lowe (No 2) [2015] NSWCA 91 Taylor v The Owners - Strata Plan No 11564 (2014) 253 CLR 531; [2014] HCA 9 Trives v Hornsby (2015) 89 NSWLR 268; [2015] NSWCA 158 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Lithgow City Council (Applicant) Newera Defendo Pty Ltd (First Respondent) David Richardson (Second Respondent) Representation: Counsel: Ms J Walker, barrister (Applicant) Mr S Nash, barrister (First Respondent)