COVID-19 is causing havoc and creating volatility with supply chains, labour availability and project scheduling. In this environment, it has never been more important for parties to be on top of the management of their contracts. Now is not the time to be relying on the relationship and not reading the contract.
Section 4.55 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 allows a landowner/developer to apply to Council to modify a development consent. The power to modify a consent has been described by the Council as beneficial and facultative, but not unconstrained. A recent NSW Court of Appeal decision [Ku-ring-gai Council v Buyozo Pty Ltd (2021) NSWCA 177], has caused some consternation in the development industry. Some industry feedback has been that the modification power is now significantly weakened and developers are no longer able to rely on it to make small adjustments to their projects.
COVID-19 continues to impact and complicate our lives in many ways. One of the more recent changes by the NSW Government has been by way of further amendments to retail and commercial leasing. Our Property Team at SWS Lawyers have set out those changes below in order to continue to help our clients navigate this labyrinth.
In 2020, the New South Wales Court of Appeal unanimously decided that a blanket ban on owners in a strata scheme keeping animals was invalid due to it being harsh, unconscionable or oppressive. Owners Corporations should consider whether any by-laws, particularly any “blanket” type by-laws, in their strata scheme would be invalid for being harsh, unconscionable or oppressive, particularly before issuing breach notices to owners.