Land & Environment law sometimes called Local Government law is a growing and increasingly specialist area of the law. As a former environmental chemist, regulatory officer of the EPA and Prosecutor for Hawkesbury City Council, Frank Mersal is well placed to ensure that your rights are protected. At Mersal & Associates we specialise in:

Merit Appeals
For example, where a council has determined an application in the negative regardless of the merits of the proposal or in determining the application has taken into account irrelevant considerations.

Existing Use Rights
If a business has operated for so long that it was in existence before the first relevant planning law came into effect but is now prohibited by new planning law, it may have an existing use right. However there is a requirement the activity be continuous and ongoing since its commencement and not have ceased for a continuous period of 12 months or more.

Environmental Charges
Where a company or individual has been charged by the Department of Environment Climate Change & Water or a Local Government Authority for a pollution offence such as pollution of waters, dumping & waste offences and matters relating to contaminated land.

Compulsory Land Acquisition
In some instances a statutory authority may require all or part of your land for a particular development such as road widening, or the running of a water pipe or power line. When this occurs the statutory body will seek to acquire your land or part thereof by the rules of compulsory acquisition.  We will ensure you will be adequately compensated.

Easements
Where a developer requires an easement over neighbouring property and the owner of that property is unreasonably refusing to grant that easement. A common example is a stormwater easement required by a developer over a neighbour's land (servient tenement). Sometimes the owner of the servient tenement may be unreasonable and see the request for an easement as an opportunity to be compensated far greater than the easement is worth. Whether you are the owner of the dominant or servient tenement we can assist you.

Mersal & Associates are experienced environmental lawyers based in Sydney and are able to assist you with your Environmental, Property and Easement disputes. Contact us to arrange an appointment.

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