This article is from the Australian Property Journal archive
THE landfill manager at the centre of Melbourne’s “methane†residential estate has joined a class action against the local council, but the developer thinks the move is totally unfounded.
SITA Australia, the manager of the landfill site next to the Brookland Greens Estate in Cranbourne, Victoria has joined Peet & Co Casey Land Syndicate Limited and six other additional parties, in court proceedings against the City of Casey.
Peet has not been joined in the court proceedings.
In late 2008 a group of residents represented by Slater & Gordon launched action against the Council. The Council then joined SITA and various other parties as co-defendants and now a total of 12 parties. A mediation process is to start next month.
Peet CEO Brendan Gore said SITA’s move to join the syndicate was totally unfounded and any potential claim had no basis whatsoever.
“The residential community at Brookland Greens was established in line with all the relevant approvals and any claim against the syndicate is a distraction from the main issue – the proper mitigation and management of the disused landfill site.
“Peet and the syndicate have welcomed the very extensive work that has been undertaken by Council at the disused Stevenson’s Road landfill site since late 2008,” Gore added.
Gore said any potential claim against the syndicate is ill-founded and, if any claim were to be pursued, it would be strenuously defended.
“Any potential claim against the syndicate would only become relevant if it was found to be liable in any way. It is now up to the plaintiff’s lawyers, Slater & Gordon, to decide whether any claim will actually be pursued against the newly added defendants, including the syndicate,” he concluded.
Australian Property Journal
