Local developer slammed
An Auckland property developer has been accused by neighbours of creating ‘‘slumsvilles’’ in desirable suburbs by jamming relocatable houses onto sites and riding roughshod over planning laws.
Augustine Lau faces prosecution for carrying out work at several properties and failing to comply with the Resource Management Act. A judge has delivered a damning verdict in two judgements released this month by the Environment Court. It found Lau, who claims to have developed 500 properties around Auckland, undertook significant earthworks at two waterfront properties at Waiwera, subdivided a Mt Albert property, converted a garage into a ‘house’ and relocated houses in Paremoremo - all without seeking resource consent.
Auckland Council issued abatement notices against Lau’s properties in the north, south and central areas of Auckland. He appealed to the Environment Court, but this month a judge dismissed his appeals. In a decision published this month in relation to a development at Paremoremo, Lau was accused of ‘‘jamming’’ relocatable houses onto land and occupying them with tenants. The court said there appears to have been no or very little consideration of either building consent requirements or the Resource Management Act.
The Paremoremo development had created a ‘‘slumsville’’, according to a neighbour. Lau denied he was a ‘slumlord’, and said the issue was with the ‘inefficiency’ at Auckland Council, and the 25-year-old Resource Management Act was no longer fit for purpose.
At another development at Waiwera, the court found Lau was responsible for endangering indigenous vegetation. ‘‘Significant’’ earthworks occurred when Lucky Wu Ltd, a company directed by Lau and property owner Meijuan Chen took over a waterfront property in Weranui Rd. The Court saw the actions of Lau and Lucky Wu, on the land owned by Qiufen Lu, as being ‘‘extremely serious and dangerous’’. The seven ha property is described as a ‘‘sensitive coastal site’’ in the court papers. Auckland Council resource consents manager, Steve Pearce said: ‘‘This decision is currently in an appeal period so we are unable to comment further at this time.’’