Minister for Planning v. Walker Country/Territory Australia Date Sep 1, 2008 Source UNEP, InforMEA Court name Supreme Court of New South Wales, Common Law Division Seat of court New South Wales Reference number [2008] 161 LGERA 423 (Australia) Abstract The Minister for Planning approved a residential development project, and the respondent challenged the approval in the Land and Environment Court. The lower court found that the Minister erred in failure to apply ecologically sustainable development (ESD) principals when approving the project. The court held that the agency had an obligation under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 to take into account the principle of ESD and the impact of the proposal upon the environment, including whether the flooding impacts of the project would be compounded by climate change. On appeal, the New South Wales Court of Appeal overturned the lower court’s decision, holding that while the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 required the Minister to take into account the “public interest,” the Minister was under no obligation to consider ESD principles.Key environmental legal questions:Appeal of lower court rejection of state agency approval of a residential development project Full text Non-US_Min-for-Planning-v-Walker-2008-161-LGERA-423.pdf Website climatecasechart.com