Byron Shire Council v Ardill Payne & Partners
[2019] NSWLEC 195
At a glance
Source factsCourt
Land and Environment Court (NSW)
Decision date
2019-12-03
Before
Duggan J
Source
Original judgment source is linked above.
Judgment (14 paragraphs)
Nature of Proceedings
- In these proceedings the Byron Shire Council (the Council) appeals against the decision of a Commissioner of this Court to uphold an appeal by Ardill Payne & Partners (Ardill Payne) and to grant development consent subject to conditions for a mixed use development (the Development) at 4 Marvell Street, Byron Bay (the Subject Land).
- The Commissioner delivered reasons for her decision in: Ardill Payne & Partners v Byron Shire Council [2019] NSWLEC 1297 (the Commissioner's Reasons). This appeal, pursuant to s 56A of the Land and Environment Court Act 1979 (LEC Act), is limited to a question of law.
- The grounds of appeal relate exclusively to the manner in which the Commissioner satisfied herself as the matters required with respect to the two cl 4.6 Objections that were required to be upheld to permit the Commissioner to grant development consent. A cl 4.6 Objection was required with respect to: the height control (Height Objection) in cl 4.3 of the Byron Local Environmental Plan 2014 (Byron LEP); and, the Floor Space Ratio (FSR Objection) control in cl 4.4 of that LEP.
- Council contends that the Commissioner erred in law in two respects: 1. The Commissioner erred in law in the determination of the Height Objection in that she did not form the necessary opinion required by cl 4.6(4)(a)(ii) in that she failed to form an opinion as to consistency with the objective in cl 4.3(1)(a) of the Byron LEP (the Objective) and, furthermore, by considering that the Objective did no more than restate the need for compliance with the height control, the Commissioner did not form the necessary opinion as to whether the written objection had adequately addressed the matters as required by cl 4.6(4)(a)(i) (Ground 1): Council's Submissions at [5.9]-[5.10]; and 2. The Commissioner erred in law in the determination of both the Height and the FSR Objection in that she was required to make separate and distinct findings pursuant to cl 4.6(3)(a) and (b) and contrary to that requirement the Commissioner conflated those requirements (Ground 2): Council's Submissions at [5.11].