Porirua’s $10m houses still empty
Leaky townhouses bought for $10 million by Porirua City Council have been empty for at least seven months and there are still no plans for their future.
Nearly one year after the purchase, the council says a planned site visit and workshop for councillors to consider the options for the 24 houses has been put on hold due to the Covid-19 emergency.
The council waited until the last tenants left their units in September 2019 and then undertook invasive testing, general manager customer and community Andrew Dalziel said.
‘‘That work helps provide options for treatments for the properties. Council holding the 24 units and tenanting them is one option that will be put before council for its consideration.’’
The council purchased the houses in May 2019 after owners took them to court for consenting the hillside development which was later found to be significantly affected by water issues.
In June 2019, some tenants and owners were still living in the properties and some hoped to stay on.
The purchase stemmed from 2007 when the council consented the development at View Rd, Titahi Bay, despite failing it days earlier.
In 2017, after a failed claim to the Government’s leaky home scheme, the body corporate and owners of 24 of the 25 units filed proceedings against the council in the High Court.
Following an Official Information request in June, the council withheld further information on the repair costs, future plans for the properties and whether then-existing residents had been told they had to leave before 2020.
Dalziel said the site visit and workshop would be rescheduled as soon as practicable.
Porirua City Mayor Anita Baker said it had been a slow process.
‘‘Once we’re back to working normally we will be able to meet and discuss the options and make a decision about what’s best to do with the properties.’’