Developers ignore council orders

A THREE-STOREY 18-unit rogue building is going up in St Michael’s Street despite two stop-build orders from the City and serious complaints from a neighbour who claims he was almost killed when a wall from the building collapsed on his patio.
Local city councillor Paddy Chapple confirmed that various fines have been levied against the developers, the Venture Group, for building transgressions and that two orders to cease building operations at number 18 St Michael’s Street have been ignored.
Building work on the complex, which developer Chris Hayman says he wants to sell as student accommodation although it has officially only been approved as offices, started in September last year, apparently without any approved plans. Plans were only submitted two months later, according to Paddy.
The neighbours, Trish and Ron Gates, claim that the previous structure on the erf was demolished without go-ahead from the council.
They told ObsLife that relations with the developers started off friendly enough even though they were not consulted about the new building.
But the Gates noticed various building irregularities and by the time the wall had collapsed on the Gates’ patio because it did not have the required supports, relations with the company had soured.
Ron said had he not moved away seconds before the wall collapsed, he would have been killed.
After one of the stop-build orders from the City, the Gates heard noises from the building. Trish inspected, and found worker inside, trying to work as quietly as possible.
ObsLife first became interested in the structure because of the unusual building method - it is built from polystyrene bricks filled with cement. Developer Chris Hayman was at first keen to market the building to ObsLife as an environmentally friendly project.
But when ObsLife subsequently approached him for information about the complaints and stop-build orders, he failed to return phone calls. ObsLife was therefore unable to get any comments from the Venture Group on the allegations.
However, in the first interview he admitted to ObsLife that he intended to sell the units as student flats, even though it is official approved only as offices. He told Obslife not to “mention that”.
Council building regulations state that  accommodation units must include parking space on the property, but offices don’t need to. Councillor Paddy Chapple said the plans submitted to the council describe the units as offices, but the plans given to the architect showed accommodation units, complete with showers.
Ron Gates said that building with polystyrene bricks allows the builder to use unskilled labour. “To build with polystyrene is brilliant for low cost building, but not for this building," he said, adding that the builders did not use proper equipment, or structural reinforcements.