Five parties involved in failed Bella Vista Homes development now facing charges

Former Bella Vista boss Danny Cancian is facing charges in the Tauranga District Court of failing to comply with the Building Act. Photo / File

Another person has been charged in relation to the Bella Vista Homes fallout.

The prosecution cases for Bella Vista Homes Limited, The Engineer Limited and their respective directors Danny Cancian and Bruce Cameron, who are facing charges over the failed Bella Vista Homes development, were discussed at a judicial intervention hearing in the Tauranga District Court today , along with a new,
fifth defendant, bricklayer Darrel Joseph.

Lawyer Tony Balme told Judge Paul Mabey, QC, that Joseph had earlier denied three charges of carrying out building work without consents.

The charges laid by the Tauranga City Council relate to their alleged non-compliance with the Building Act, including carrying out building works without consents.

Bella Vista Homes is accused of six charges that it carried out building work without a building consent, and Cancian also faced eight charges relating to committing the same offences.

Cancian also faced a further 10 charges that he used a building without a consent.

The Engineer and Cameron are also each charged with six counts of carrying out building work without a consent.

The council brought charges against the two men and their companies after the emergency evacuation in March of 21 homes being built in The Lakes.

The council's lawyer, Nathan Batts, requested that the two sets of charges against the two defendant companies, Cancian, Cameron and Joseph all be joined together.

Batts said the council was still preparing all the disclosure materials including the formal written statements and that process was expected to take at least a further two weeks.

Judge Mabey QC granted the joinder application and remanded all matters to a further judicial intervention hearing In Tauranga District Court on February 1 next year.

Bella Vista Homes went into voluntary liquidation on November 30 last year, leaving unfinished houses and millions of dollars of outstanding debts to creditors.

Twenty-one houses in the Bella Vista Homes development had to be evacuated in March. Photo / File

The 21 houses in The Lakes' development were deemed to be dangerous by the council ahead of an incoming storm.

On June 6, Tauranga city councillors voted to buy the 21 homes. The council, which made offers to the homeowners, has so far settled with one property owner.