Justice Cowdroy told the Australian that he did not purchase the $1 Dunny Lane, and that his company "Specialist Advocates" did. See the company search below which shows Dennis Cowdroy as the Director of this company. When neighbours found out that the lane was sold and asked the Architect Stafford Watts if he could reveal the owner, he replied " I am not able to divulge that information".

This is the principal facade of the development - a blank wall four stories tall that overshadows neighbours and removes a heritage laneway. Note: The large tree shown does not exist.

Principal Elevation Facing Neighbours

Note:

Tree does not exist.

The scheme as presented does not comply with the most basic of controls including the height limit, floor space ratio (proposal is 2.5 times over), heritage, overshadowing, privacy, setbacks and basic facade modulation. The DA image below submitted to Council for approval is also dishonest. The large tree shown in front of the principal blank facade does not even exist.

The Height Limit is 9 Meters - Note the 15m Proposal

A Four Storey Blank Wall of "Rapidwall" Covers Heritage Sandstone and Blocks the Laneway

Stafford Watts: The Architect and former Land and Environment Court Commissioner. He served on the LEC court during the tenure of Justice Cowdroy. According Sydney City Council, he is currently in private negotiations to reduce the scheme just slightly. According to Council it might be approved without further notifications or public review. Meanwhile, neighbours are demanding transparency and cannot understand why former members of the Land and Environment Court are allowed to have the appearance of special access in both the purchase of the land for $1 without an auction and the approval of a non compliant development - right in their own back yards.

Justice Dennis Cowdroy: Director of Specialist Advocates, developer of the Dunny Lane. Currently a federal judge. Formerly a judge for the Land and Environment Court.

Given that the Development Application notification was posted on the wrong property, and neighbours had trouble understanding that a 2.7meterwide laneway was actually going to be developed into a 4-storey house, the neighbours of Surrey Street hung a banner in their opposition campaign to the laneway DA:

Council has demanded neighbours remove the banner from their own property.
No free speech allowed?

The story makes the second page of th Sydney Morning Herald...

http://smh.domain.com.au/real-estate-news/all-rise--judge-crams-fourstorey-house-into-1-block-20110221-1b2kt.html