The Court of Appeal has upheld the earlier decision of the Land and Environment Court that Council water supply authorities may require development servicing charges (DS Charges) to be paid as a fee for services under s608 of the Local Government Act…
Who are you? – Verification of Identity and the Right to Deal in Conveyancing Transactions
23 Aug, 2016
Lawyers and conveyancers around NSW are now required to take “reasonable steps” to verify the identity of their clients and establish their clients’ right to deal in a wide range of “Conveyancing Transactions”. This requirement is the result of new…
The NSW Government has released for public consultation a draft ‘New Wind Energy Planning Framework’ (Draft Framework) for large-scale wind energy facilities, which aims to increase investment in wind energy in the state, whilst balancing the needs of the community.
To PIN or not to PIN – that is the question
18 Aug, 2016
Increases in the prescribed amount for penalty notices (PIN) for environment and planning offences have seen an increase in the use of PINs, and an increase in the instances where recipients elect to have these matters dealt with by a…
For those Councils in NSW which were not amalgamated on 12 May 2016, Council elections will take place on Saturday 10 September 2016. As a result, the 4 week caretaker period commenced on Friday 12 August 2016. There is a…
DAs – Not safe from amendments to LEPS
11 Aug, 2016
The NSW Court of Appeal has overturned a finding of the Land and Environment Court to the effect that the savings provision in local environmental plans (LEPs) in the form of the Standard Instrument – Principal Local Environmental Plan (Standard Instrument) would…
The Land and Environment Court this week adjourned civil enforcement proceedings brought by a Council against an alleged perpetrator and ordered the Council to amend its summons to join an additional party to the proceedings. The joinder of the additional party…
Buried within Schedule 4 of the new Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 is an amendment to the Local Government Act 1993 (LG Act) to insert a new s650A. This will allow the body corporates to enter into an agreement with the council allowing the council to set…