Challenging times

I want to respond to the writer of ‘Stalemate’ (December, 11). However, without knowing details of the developer or projects, it is impossible to know what circumstances may have contributed to delays the writer complains of.

What I can say is that there is presently a building boom nationally, and the Far North District Council is not the only building control authority finding it difficult to resource this demand. There has also been an increase in the size and complexity of buildings being constructed, compared to previous years. This has led to delays, and we are working hard to minimise those.

Staff are working to capacity, and we are also using building consultants from as far as the South Island to help reduce inspection time frames.

At the same time, building staff are upskilling to learn new systems to prevent the use of building materials that have not been tested to our standards and to ensure workmanship meets requirements.

Our role is to ensure that building owners receive completed buildings that are safe, healthy and compliant with building codes. We aim to ensure that compliance averages less than .005 per cent of the total build time.

This is a challenging climate, and I commend the professionalism of the council’s building staff. Well trained and skilled building officers are vital if we are to protect the interests of developers, builders and building owners. If there are problems, I recommend building owners or practitioners contact us directly with details so we can investigate and find solutions.

DR DEAN MYBURGH General Manager — District Services

Far North District Council