Sparks fly over apartment build
Neighbours fuming at 9-floor block but developer hits back
ATakapuna homeowner says his place will be a “s***hole” when a nine-level apartment block rises next door soon but the developer has hit back, complaining about difficulties at the site and a near-miss vehicle incident.
John Hill, who owns one of two townhouses at 10a Auburn St near the Anzac St intersection, is furious about the new 21-unit Alba apartment development, rising at 10 Auburn St in front of his
Hproperty, on a site of about 500sq m and only 4m from his place. “My house will be a s***hole,” Hill said referring to his two-level home’s loss of privacy, shading from the neighbouring block, its dominance, increased noise levels, traffic problems, parking issues, noise Watch the video at nzherald.co.nz from car stackers in the new block, apartment rubbish bins facing his place, the right-of-way being narrowed from 4m to just over 2m and other issues.
Woodview Construction is at below-ground foundation level on the site which is near the six-level Sargeson Apartments being built on the former Anzac St site of The Block homes from the television series.
Gary Gordon of Legacy Property, developing Alba beside Hill’s place, indicated work at that site has been difficult, even though attempts had been made to ease the situation.
“We have tried everything possible to assist them and their tenants whilst we are building but they refuse,” Gordon said.
“Unfortunately they have been abusive to our consultants and agents, threatened to go on site and cut stuff down, lodged false noise complaints when no machines were on site, made up health and safety complaints and more,” Gordon said.
Hill said he had hardly ever visited the site and denied a near-miss vehicle incident report which Woodview lodged against the driver of Hill’s blue ute, “driving at excessive speeds with no regard for pedestrian or worker safety adjacent to the site”.
Auckland Council says Takapuna has been up-zoned for more density and higher buildings in the Unitary Plan. Hill’s home is directly opposite the town centre’s CBD. He does not live there but rents it out after his marriage broke up.
His retirement plans had been ruined because his home would be worth so much less when Alba was finished, he said.
“We did try to sell it about two years ago but we couldn’t. We were asking $900,000,” he said of the home now valued at more than $1m.
Kelly Reid, who lives next door to Hill’s place at 10b Auburn St, outlined many issues regarding the Alba build.
“[It] should definitely have not been non-notified. The spiral drilling was so loud we could not be in our homes. Our driveway has been ... blocked on a regular basis for the builders/workers to do unloading to the site,” Reid complained.
But Legacy operations manager Claire Beazley said the driveway was owned by Auburn Street Trustees, not the townhouse owners. The contractor had full use of the driveway, she said, citing a lawyer’s letter.