Manly Council v Leech

Land and Environment Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Manly Council v Leech [2015] NSWLEC 149 Hearing dates:24 August 2015 - 4 September 2015Date of orders: 17 September 2015 Decision date: 17 September 2015 Jurisdiction:Class 5Before: Biscoe J Decision: In matter 50837/14:(1) The defendant is acquitted of the offence charged.(2) The summons is dismissed. Catchwords: ENVIRONMENTAL OFFENCES – whether project architect carried out development, namely construction of external stairs down the side of a cliff in a penguin critical habitat area, that required development consent other than in accordance with a development consent that was in force, by directing the builder to construct the stairs or by reason of the extent of his control over the builder. Legislation Cited: Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 ss 76A(1), 96, 121B, 121D, 121H, 121ZL, 125(1), 149B Local Government Act 1993 s 124 Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 s 91 Cases Cited: Bobolas v Waverley Council [2012] NSWCA 126, 187 LGERA 63 George v Rockett [1990] HCA 26, 170 CLR 104 Kempsey Shire Council v Slade [2015] NSWLEC 135 Leichhardt Council v Geitonia Pty Ltd (No 6) [2015] NSWLEC 51 Manly Council v Horizon Habitats Pty Limited [2015] NSWLEC 15 Mosman Municipal Council v Keesing [2006] NSWLEC 836 North Sydney Council v Moline (No 2); North Sydney Council v Tomkinson [2008] NSWLEC 169 Poche and Anor v Manly Council [2014] NSWLEC 1274 Rafailidis v Camden Council [2015] NSWCA 185 State of New South Wales v Corbett [2007] HCA 32, 230 CLR 606...