ATHLETES VILLAGE YET TO CROSS THE FINISH LINE

WORKERS are still fixing defects in an entire block of the Parkland village, more than six weeks after the Government claimed with public fanfare that it was fully completed, the Bulletin can reveal.

About a third of the village, a section close to Smith St comprising six highrise apartment buildings and several rows of townhouses, is yet to be finished, with workers still on site yesterday.

Grocon’s Queensland building licence was cancelled on October 23, following a restriction on seeking or starting new jobs which was placed on the company in September.

A senior Grocon spokesman, who last month said the village would be handed over “100 per cent defect-free”, conceded yesterday some problems were still being rectified.

“We are still completing some defects but all of the lot’s been handed over,” he said.

“Paint touch-ups, a little bit of knock-on-the-door, little scratch on the wall – essentially it’s a guy going around with a paintbrush and a cleaner.

“There’s nothing major. GOLDOC have taken full control of the place but they allow us to go back and do touch-ups and it’s important to get all those done before they start moving in.”

State Development Minister Anthony Lynham last night said: “It’s not uncommon for sites to require some work after handover to address defects.

“The Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Organising Committee has been on site since October 1.

“I’m advised that all defects discovered at the site are minor and that subsequent work has not hampered the GOLDOC’s preparations for the Games.”