Public sector property

Safe hands for complex public sector property issues

LTL has a property practice that is almost exclusively focused on the provision of specialist services to councils and state government agencies throughout NSW in relation to the complex property issues they face.

From Crown lands and public reserves to compulsory acquisition and valuation, encroachments to easements, covenants to classification, LTL has experience and expertise in the public sector that enables us to provide a superior and trusted property law service for metropolitan, regional and rural councils across NSW and state government agencies.

Where we can assist

 The services we regularly provide to our clients in relation to these complex property matters include:

  • drafting and negotiating leases and licenses of council land, crown land and road reserves
  • sale and acquisition of property and assets by public sector authorities
  • drafting a range of positive and restrictive covenants
  • drafting easements for right of carriageway, drainage, repair, electricity purposes, services, support, access and encroachments
  • advising on planning, rezoning, development applications and environmental issues
  • classification and reclassification of public land
  • valuation of land
  • compulsory acquisition and just terms compensation, including:
    • drafting Compulsory Acquisition Notices and associated notices for the government gazette
    • negotiating with landowners, lawyers, valuers and other experts acting on behalf of landowners
    • negotiating with other statutory and government bodies acquiring land and their experts
    • appearing in and conducting Court appeals in relation to the determination of just compensation
  • issues relating to public roads, public reserves, Crown land and the like
  • providing advice on all aspects of the operation of the Crown Lands Management Act 2016
  • advising on, and drafting and negotiating of: contracts, deeds, heads of agreement, memoranda of understanding, and the like
  • drafting, negotiating and advising on planning agreements, development agreements, works-in-kind agreements and other infrastructure agreements under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979
  • advising on the application of planning agreements to specific development projects
  • advising on the relationship between planning agreements, development agreements, works-in-kind agreements and other infrastructure agreements, and the public-private partnership provisions of the Local Government Act 1993
  • advising on public-private partnerships, joint ventures and the like development of council-owned land