Mediation is used often in planning to resolve or narrow issues between parties. The usefulness of mediation should not be underestimated where a face-to-face meeting or a telephone call might result in a much smoother process and mutually beneficial outcomes.
We at Clause: 1 were interested to read the recent decision of Burnet v Yarra CC [2013] VCAT 1753. This case was an objector’s appeal against a mutli-storey mixed use development. Prior to lodging the appeal with VCAT the objector contacted the permit applicant by email (following the issue of a Notice of Decision in favour of the proposal and suggested that if the permit applicant paid for a development on her property she would not lodge an Application for Review against his NOD at VCAT.
