Bottomline Group Pty Ltd v Snowy Monaro Regional Council [2020] NSWLEC 1115

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Bottomline Group Pty Ltd v Snowy Monaro Regional Council [2020] NSWLEC 1115 Hearing dates: 2-4, 13 & 20 December 2019; online court 16 March 2020 Date of orders: 27 March 2020 Decision date: 27 March 2020 Jurisdiction: Class 1 Before: Adam AC Decision: The Court orders that: (1) The Applicant is granted leave to rely upon the amended plan in Addendum A to Exhibit B in the form tendered on 20 December 2019. (2) The appeal is dismissed. (3) Development Application DA0014/2016 for the subdivision of Lot 17 DP 236151 is determined by refusal. (4) The exhibits, except for Exhibits 1, A, B and O may be returned. Catchwords: DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION – subdivision – jurisdictional issue – should development application have also been for erection of dwelling houses – additional permitted uses – is "and" in Schedule 1 clause 1 of the Snowy River Local Environmental Plan 2013 conjunctive – visual impact and scenic quality – weight to be given to draft bushfire prone map – weight to be given to presence of a Critically Endangered Ecological Community – local occurrence avoidance of impacts –to what extent does the application seek to avoid, minimise or ameliorate impacts on biodiversity -are amelioration measures practical, enforceable and effective – was a Species Impact Statement required Legislation Cited: Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 Biodiversity Conservation (Savings and Transitional) Regulation 2017 Biosecurity Act 2016 Conveyancing Act 1919 Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 North Sydney Environmental Plan 2013 Rural Fires Act 1997 Snowy River Local Environmental Plan 1997 Snowy River Local Environmental Plan 1997 (Amendment No 6) Snowy River Local Environmental Plan 2013 Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 Woollahra Local Environmental Plan 1995 Cases Cited: Al Maha Pty Ltd v Huajun Investments Pty Ltd (2018) 233 LGERA 170; [2018] NSWCA 245 BGP Properties Pty Ltd v Lake Macquarie City Council (2004) 138 LGERA 237; [2004] NSWLEC 399 BT Goldsmith Planning Services Pty Limited v Blacktown City Council [2005] NSWLEC 210 Bulga Milbrodale Progress Association Inc. v Minister for Planning and Infrastructure and Warkworth Mining Ltd (2013) 194 LGERA 347; [2013] NSWLEC 48 Cranbrook School v Woollahra Council (2006) 66 NSWLR 379; [2006] NSWCA 155 Davis v Gosford City Council (2014) 87 NSWLR 699; [2014] NSWCA 343 Hill v Blacktown City Council (2007) 154 LGERA 418; [2007] NSWLEC 401 Initial Action Pty Ltd v Woollahra Municipal Council (2018) 236 LGERA 256; [2018] NSWLEC 118 Ku-ring-gai Municipal Council v Geoffrey Twibill & Associates (1979) 39 LGRA 154 Meggitt Overseas Ltd v Grdovic (1998) 43 NSWLR 527 Nambucca Valley Conservation Association v Nambucca Shire Council [2010] NSWLEC 38 Nerasko Pty Ltd v Coffs Harbour City Council (1990) 70 LGRA 42 Newcastle & Hunter Valley Speleological Society Inc v Upper Hunter Shire Council and Stoneco Pty Limited (No 2) [2010] NSWLEC 104 Newcastle and Hunter Valley Speleological Society Inc v Upper Hunter Shire Council (2010) 210 LGERA 126; [2010] NSWLEC 48 North Sydney Council v North Sydney Leagues Club Ltd [2017] NSWLEC 69 North Sydney Leagues Club Ltd v North Sydney Council [2017] NSWLEC 1002 Parrott v Kiama Council [2004] NSWLEC 77 Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority (1998) 194 CLR 355; [1998] HCA 28 Seraphina Bell Pty Ltd v Willoughby Municipal Council (No 2) (1967) 14 LGRA 209 Shoalhaven City Council v Lovell (1996) 136 FLR 58 Signature Properties No. 2 Pty Ltd v Blacktown City Council [2019] NSWLEC 1037 Silverwater Estates Pty Ltd v Auburn Council [2001] NSWLEC 60 Sofi v Wollondilly Shire Council (1975) 2 NSWLR 614 Statewide Planning Pty Ltd v Blacktown City Council [2019] NSWLEC 1397 Stockland Development Pty Ltd v Manly Council (2004) 136 LGERA 254; [2004] NSWLEC 472 Universal Property Group Pty Ltd v Penrith City Council [2020] NSWLEC 1040 Vanmeld Pty Ltd v Fairfield City Council (2000) 106 LGERA 454; [2000] NSWCA 51 Victims Compensation Fund Corporation v Brown (2003) 201 ALR 260; [2003] HCA 54 Visionary Investment Group Pty Ltd v Wollongong City Council [2019] NSWLEC 1234 Texts Cited: A Gauli et al., 'Molecular genetic diversity and population structure in Eucalyptus pauciflora subsp. pauciflora (Myrtaceae) on the island of Tasmania' (2014) 62 Australian Journal of Botany 175 Macquarie Dictionary (online) Oxford English Dictionary (online) NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change, (2007) Threatened Species Assessment Guidelines Snowy River Development Control Plan 2013 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Bottomline Group Pty Ltd (Applicant) Snowy Monaro Regional Council (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: A Stafford (Applicant) S Puckeridge (Solicitor) (Respondent)