Otaki pair go to court over unsafe bridge
AN OTAKI couple are heading to court after a frustrating 15-year battle over a ‘‘shonky’’ bridge preventing them from building their dream home.
Gary and Lynne Hertnon bought a 50-acre lifestyle property off Otaki Gorge Rd in 1998, unaware that a bridge providing the only vehicle access to the block would be condemned as dangerous and closed.
After years
of being unable to use the bridge, which spans a 20-metre drop, they are now taking Kapiti Coast District Council, developer Greg Moffatt, and engineer Peter Bolton to the High Court to get access to their land.
‘‘They are all responsible,’’ Lynne Hertnon said. ‘‘We had no reason at the start to believe the bridge was unsafe, when the territorial authority signed it off and a structural engineer was working on it.
‘‘Our dream was to have a beautiful retreat there. It still is, if we get a safe bridge.’’
The couple bought the land, off Kaitawa Rd, from the Kaitawa Family Trust. Moffatt was a trust beneficiary and the developer responsible for the bridge.
The council closed the bridge in 2011 after a report found it dangerous.
Moffatt has consents to repair the bridge, but the Hertnons believe a new bridge is needed.
‘‘The metalwork is past its useby date. The piles are in unstable ground – it is ludicrous to try and repair this shonky bridge,’’ Hertnon said.
Engineer Peter Bolton was fined by the engineers’ voluntary industry body two years ago for signing off the bridge as compliant without checking. Both he and Moffatt declined to comment on the High Court move.
Hertnon said the documents would be filed this week.
The council confirmed it received draft legal documents on March 6. Acting regulatory services manager Sharon Foss said no proceedings had yet been filed against the council. court early