Northern Beaches Council v Strata Plan 7114
[2024] NSWDC 648
At a glance
Source factsCourt
District Court of NSW
Decision date
2024-07-19
Before
Mr P, Mr J
Source
Original judgment source is linked above.
Judgment (19 paragraphs)
Introduction
- These proceedings concern a mixed use building in Manly known as the Manly National Building. The ground floor is comprised of retail spaces while floors 1 to 7 comprise a public car parking facility. Above the car park are residential lots.
- The building is the subject of a strata plan, which was registered in April 1973. The plaintiff (the "Council") is the registered proprietor of Lots 185 to 430, being the car park section of the building (the "Council Lots"). It seems clear that the Council has been operating a car park on the site since at least the time of registration of the strata plan. To the extent to which it is relevant, it is more likely than not that the Council was conducting a public car park for fee from at least 1974 (See PX8).
- The defendant (the "OC") is the Owners Corporation of the building which has over time entered into various commercial arrangements with the Council in relation to the Council's Lots.
By-laws 17 and 18
- In May 1978, By-laws 28 and 29 were registered. They were later renumbered 17 and 18. They are in the following terms: 17 PUBLIC PARKING STATION So long as the Council of the Municipality of Manly shall remain the proprietor of any of Lots 185 to 430 the said Council of the Municipality of Manly may operate at its cost a Public Parking Station in such lots. This By-law shall not be amended, added to or repealed except by unanimous resolution of the owners corporation and with concurring vote of the said Council of the Municipality of Manly. 18 CARE, CONTROL AND MANAGEMENT OF COMMON PROPERTY WITHIN LOT 1 So long as the Council of the Municipality of Manly shall be the owner of a lot used as a Public Parking Station, it shall have the care, control and management of those areas of common property that were within lot 1 in strata plan 7114 and shown on said strata plan as: "Proposed Right-of-Way - Ramp 2539 sq. ft. approx." and; "Proposed Right-of-Way" and; "Proposed Right-of-Way - Ramp 1565 sq. ft. approx." on sheet 2 and; "Proposed Right-of-Way on Sheets 3,4,5 and 6." PROVIDED THAT the special privileges hereby conferred shall not preclude the use of the common property referred to herein by the owners of other lots nor impose on the Council of the Municipality of Manly any liability to contribute to, or responsibility for, the maintenance of the common property referred herein except as otherwise provided by the Strata Schemes Management Act, 2015 (NSW) or any Act amending or replacing the same.