Retirement dream ruined

Neighbours fight development

A COUPLE who bought a home on the Gold Coast to enjoy their retirement claim they’ve have had their plans ruined after a developer built a glass home next door.

Gary Hopkinson and his wife Bijma Wati moved into their waterside Mermaid Waters home four years ago so they could spend more time with their grandkids.

Now a developer has turned their next door neighbours’ property into two developments, both featuring a lot of glass and designs that will give occupants views of the neighbouring homes.

“It’s too intrusive,” Mr Hopkinson claimed on A Current Affair on Tuesday night.

But architect, developer and part-owner Scott Koning said he “didn’t care” as he was building within the law and also claimed the property lifts the value of surrounding properties.

The three-storey duplex close to Mr Hopkinson’s home has four bedrooms and a rooftop pool area that looks directly into their backyard.

There’s a 20cm gap between their pool and the neighbour’s fence, which they claim makes the area “unusable”.

“Who would like to be in their swimmers and be looked at all the time?” Ms Wati said.

The couple are also concerned about the outdoor shower installed in the pool area.

“They can look straight (at you) basically, that’s how intrusive this development is,” Hopkinson said.

Rita, the neighbour living on the other side of the block for 33 years, is also concerned the new home’s balcony looks right into her pool and breakfast area.

“I don’t think the (Gold Coast) City Council knows what it’s doing to the people,” she told ACA.

The development’s boundary fence and the towering three-storey height of the duplex are also a concern for the neighbours.

When the couple first bought the home, the block next door was a single-level brick house with three pine trees out the front creating a privacy screen.

They planned to rent out the home for a while but have been unable to find anyone willing to.

The Hopkinson-Wati family have now joined together with their neighbours to fight the development with claims they were never informed about the new development or given an opportunity to object.

Tensions are running high between the developer and the neighbourhood, as the families plan to take their troubles to Council.

A Gold Coast City Council spokesperson said the development was considered “code assessable” which does not require them to notify the public.

Mr Koning declined to comment further when approached by NCA NewsWire.