Can the additional trading hours be justified?
35 Randall Pty Ltd v Leichhardt Council [2004] NSWLEC 277 establishes principles for the assessment of an extension or intensification of a use which may have an adverse impact on residential amenity, such as a hotel. These are:
First, is the impact of the operation of the existing use on residential amenity acceptable? If the answer is no, then an extension or intensification, would be unacceptable unless there is no overall increase in impact or there are measures proposed which would mitigate the existing impact.
Second, if the answer is yes, is the impact of the proposed extension or intensification still acceptable?
36 These planning principles are expanded in Vinson v Randwick Council [2005] NSWLEC 142 to include:
What are the adverse impacts of the present trading hours, permitted number of patrons and permitted activities?
Evidence of anti-social behaviour at or linked to the premises taken from records such as the police COPS system and/or other police records and/or diaries kept by local residents is preferable to generalised anecdotal evidence that cannot be tested by the applicant against any records kept by the operator of the premises. A similar position applies to complaints about other amenity impacting behaviour such as noise from people on the premises or its plant and equipment; noise from entertainment provided on the premises or the noise necessarily arising from patrons such as car doors, engines starting or late-night conversations in residential streets in the vicinity. Demand for on-street parking may also be relevant. In assessing the likely adverse impact of increased trading hours, permitted number of patrons or permitted activities for licensed premises, the objectors' fears of adverse impacts, no matter how genuinely felt, are relevant only to the extent that there is a reasonable probability that impacts will occur .
What measures are in place to address those impacts?
Measures include the number and times of engagement of security personnel, designated duties performed by them together with patrolling patterns. Identification of and responses to specific trouble spots should be considered. The method and timing of street litter collection are also relevant. For premises that provide entertainment, noise control measures that do not require intervention by an operator may also be relevant.
How are those measures documented?
A well-documented management plan for the premises and its availability to local residents is a positive factor. The measures that are currently in place to record and respond to complaints made by residents are also relevant.
Have those measures been successful?
The period during which the control measures (for the current trading hours, permitted number of patrons and permitted activities) have been operating is relevant to enable assessment of the likely success of their being applied to extended hours. If the present management regime has been in operation for a relatively short period, or has been unsuccessful or not fully implemented, less weight can be given to it than to a management regime which has succeeded in reducing antisocial behaviour.
What additional measures are proposed by the applicant or might otherwise be required?
If any extension of hours, numbers or activities is likely to be acceptable but only subject to additional measures to reduce noise or anti-social behaviour, a trial period may be appropriate to test those measures.
37 If the proposed development is assessed against the principles in Randall and Vinson, the evidence of the residents indicated that the hotel was having an adverse impact on their residential amenity. The resident evidence suggests that the main, but not only, source of noise impact is from the open terrace area on the ground floor adjoining Sheas Lane.
38 Little other evidence was provided to the Court on impacts from the hotel. The police, notwithstanding efforts by the council to provide comments on the application, provided no comments. No Computerised Operational Policing System (COPS) reports on any incidents for the hotel were provided. Ms Doyle's evidence did not indicate that she had inspected the site between 10 am and midnight, so I presume her concerns are based on the concerns expressed by the local residents rather than first hand observations. Importantly, Ms Doyle's evidence indicates there is "no history of any serious or repeated incidents of anti-social behaviour on the premises or its immediate vicinity in the past 10 years arising from patrons of the premises". Further "police records from January 2009 show no significant issues reported against the venue". From council's records, there have been six complaints in the past two years although none relate to hotel patron behaviour. It is also worth noting that a resident objector described the hotel as being "well-managed".
39 The potential impact from the open terrace area on the ground floor adjoining Sheas Lane has been recognised by the operators of the hotel who have voluntarily reduced the hours of this area to 10 p.m. when the remainder of the hotel operates to midnight. While this area does not form part of this application, these hours are detailed in the Plan of Management.
40 Randall and Vinson ask whether there are measures proposed which would mitigate any existing impact. A similar requirement is found in Part D, Sec 6 of DCP 1997. The principle measure proposed by the applicant in this case is a Plan of Management. This document provides requirements for behaviour of patrons, noise, safety and security and management responsibilities. The contents of the Plan of Management are addressed later in the judgement. Additional measures that currently do not apply to the hotel include limitations on the use of the kitchen exhaust fan because of the potential to create an acceptable noise impacts and automatic restrictions on the maximum noise for internal music.
41 I am satisfied that the provision of a Plan of Management is a positive aspect of the proposed development, particularly as it seeks to control operations of the hotel that are not directly related the proposed development. Other matters identified as part of this application, such as the kitchen exhaust fan and the controls on internal music will further minimise the impacts on adjoining residential development. Specific requirements for security staff can also potentially minimise the impacts on adjoining residential development through the control of patron behaviour.
Finally, and of some importance is the agreement that the extended trading hours till midnight is subject to a 12 month trial period where the impacts can be assessed at the end of the trial period.
42 Ms Doyle places some considerable emphasis on the Late Night Trading DCP and the trading hours in Chapter 3.1. The weight to be given to a development control plan is set out in detail in Zhang v Canterbury City Council (2001) 115 LGERA 373. Spigelman CJ, at par 75, raises three important propositions. First, and although the Court has a wide-ranging discretion, the discretion is not unfettered. Secondly the provisions of a development control plan are to be considered as a fundamental element in, or a focal point to, the decision-making process particularly, if there are no issues relating to compliance with a local environmental plan. Thirdly, a provision of the development control plan directly pertinent to the application is entitled to significant weight in the decision-making process but it is not in itself determinative.
43 In this case, I do not accept that the rigid approach adopted by Ms Doyle to the provisions of the Late Night Trading DCP is appropriate for the following reasons:
- Zhang provides flexibility in the application of development control plans,
- the evidence indicates that any noise associated with the proposed development will satisfy the appropriate noise goal,
- the proposed development is a mix of "indoor" and "outdoor" trading,
- the extended trading hours are consistent with the existing trading hours of the hotel,
- the existing trading hours of the hotel are consistent with the Late Night Trading DCP,
- no objections were received from the police,
- the main areas of concern from local residents are not related the proposed development,
- the proposed development is likely to provide a net benefit in terms of residential amenity,
- the opportunity exists to review the extended trading hours in 12 months, and
- objectives (b), (l) and (m) of the Late Night Trading DCP) are satisfied.
44 For the reasons mentioned in the preceding paragraphs, there is no basis to deny the trading hours of the open terrace and closed lounge area to extend to 12 midnight Mondays to Saturdays and 10 p.m. on Sundays.
The intensification
The evidence
45 Ms Doyle states that the proposed extended trading hours and the increased capacity is inconsistent with the zone objectives because it would result in a use that is no longer compatible with residential uses and fails to ensure that the nuisance generated by non-residential development, relating to operating hours, noise or other factors is controlled so as to preserve the quality of life residents within the area. The current operation of the hotel, mainly the ground floor open courtyard area has been identified as causing a nuisance to the nearby residents and the new outdoor area with extended trading hours and increased capacity will only exacerbate this further. Ms Doyle further states that the proposal would result in the use that fails to comply with the principal objectives of the Late Night Trading DCP.
46 Ms Lee disagrees and states that the use of the proposed outdoor area will satisfy the zone objectives, will be compatible in terms of the existing circumstances of the premises and will not materially alter the existing situation. In her opinion, the proposed use will not result in a nuisance as adequate management controls will be in place to ensure that the zone objectives are achieved. The question of amenity impacts is addressed through the management mechanisms in the Plan of Management. Ms Lee further states that the proposal is not inconsistent with the character of the Local Centre Area in the Late Night Trading DCP as it is a long standing use in the locality and is reflective of the mixed nature of land uses within the precinct.