Land & Environment Law

Legal Advice and Services

We can provide legal advice and services to assist people, corporations, and government agencies in respect of local government, planning and environmental law matters. Listed below are services we provide to our clients.

Services to Developers

We provide a complete package of services to developers ranging from the carrying out of commercial transactions to the gaining of planning approvals to statutory planning, environmental and employment matters at the project management stage.

Our services include but are not limited to:

Advice on statutory planning requirements at project design stage and prior to development application lodgement;
Advice on dealing with issues and objections raised by a consent authority or third parties at development application assessment stage;
Advice on the refusal of development consent, including conducting appeals in the Land and Environment Court;
Advice on the acquisition of easements under section 88K of the Conveyancing Act 1919 or section 40 of the Land and Environment Court Act 1979;
Advice on the use of State Environmental Planning Policies; and
Advice on commercial arrangements for joint venture and public/private partnership arrangements for the redevelopment of land and use of public land.

Joseph Grassi & Associates - Penrith Property and Business Lawyers

Disputes with Local Councils

Access to Council records under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth.) and Local Government Act 1993;
Rights of appeal against a Council’s decision to refuse or approve a development application;
Prospects of succeeding in an appeal to the Land and Environment Court or successfully defending proceedings commenced against you by a local council or private individual;
Advice to third parties on rights of appeal against a Council’s decision to refuse or approve a development application;
Representation in the Land and Environment Court in proceedings by Councils for breaches of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, Local Government Act 1993, Protection of the
Environment Operations Act 1997, Companion Animals Act 1998 and other local government and planning legislation;
Advice to applicants prior to lodgement of a development application on prospects of obtaining development consent;
Advice regard a council’s refusal or approval of an application under a tree management order;

Advice regarding Council orders under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 and Local Government Act 1993 for illegal or unauthorised development;
Reclassification of Council owned land;
Advice on rights of appeal to the Land and Environment Court against refusals of applications for a building information certificate;
Appeals against rating decisions;
Advice on appeals against rezoning of land;
Advice on the impact of, and rights of appeal against, proposed heritage listings;
Preparation of written objections to proposed development; and
Advice on the preparation of objections to development standards under State Environmental Planning Policy no. 1.

Disputes with State Agencies and Certifying Authorities

Access to government records under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth.);
Rights of appeal against a state agency’s decision to refuse or approve a development application;
Prospects of succeeding in an appeal to the Land and Environment Court against an agency’s refusal to grant development consent;
Advice to third parties on rights of appeal against an agency’s decision to refuse or approve a development application;
Advice to applicants prior to lodgement of a development application on prospects of obtaining development consent from an agency;
Advice on rights of appeal against refusal of applications for construction, compliance, subdivision or occupation certificates;
Advice of notices issued by certifying authorities under section 109L of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979; and
Appeals against valuation and compulsory acquisition of land.

Environmental Offences

Advice on prospects of successfully defending, or appealing against convictions for criminal charges under Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, Local Government Act 1993, Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997, Companion Animals Act 1998 and other local government and planning legislation;
Advice on licensing requirements for scheduled and non-scheduled activities under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997;
Advice in relation to appeals against orders issued by a consent authority or local government; and
Representation in the Local Court, Land and Environment Court and Supreme Court for such proceedings.