Neighbours are unhappy that property developer Shannon Tawhiti has shifted three houses on to a Totara St, Hastings, section without consent. Photo / Paul Taylor
Neighbours are unhappy that property developer Shannon Tawhiti has shifted three houses on to a Totara St, Hastings, section without consent. Photo / Paul Taylor
Hastings District Council is considering prosecuting a property developer who has moved houses on to residential sections without resource consent twice in the past three months.
But developer Shannon Tawhiti says he works closely with council staff to ensure he complies with planning rules and was caught out last week by a last-minute hurdle in the consent process.
Residents of Totara St, Mahora, said they were "appalled" that Mr Tawhiti relocated three houses on to a 1065sq m section on the street without the required consent.
The council fined Mr Tawhiti's company $300 in October after he moved an ex-state house on to a Joll Rd, Havelock North, section before a consent was granted.
In an email to Totara St residents yesterday, Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule said while Mr Tawhiti had applied for consent in the latest case, he had moved the houses on to the property before it was granted which was illegal.
"This is exactly what he did in Havelock North," Mr Yule said in his email.
"Because this is a second breach, we are approaching our legal options very seriously, including prosecution."
Mr Yule told Hawke's Bay Today Mr Tawhiti's actions on Totara St were more serious than last year's Joll Rd case because on top of the lack of consent for the move, having three houses on the property meant it did not comply with housing density rules in the council's district plan.
Mr Tawhiti said despite keeping in regular contact with council staff, they had only advised him of the density issue after plans had been made to move the houses, and those plans had been based on council advice about when the consent was likely to be issued.
He said of about 100 house relocations he had been involved with, only the Joll Rd and Totara St moves had run into consenting problems.
"The rules are the rules, I understand that and if they're going to fine me, they're going to fine me, I accept that. But it's not just out of a cowboy attitude where I decided on my own rules. I communicated with them and I expected that consent [to be issued in time for the move].
Shannon Tawhiti is also the developer who placed this house (above left) on a section in Joll Rd in October last year. Photo / File
Mr Tawhiti said he had applied for dispensation to allow the third house to remain on the property but "if they tell me to move it, effective immediately, I would".
He said he had been verbally abused by Totara St residents and had laid a complaint with police after one resident threw blocks of wood at him and a building inspector while the pair were visiting the property.
About 30 residents of Totara St and neighbouring Waipuna and Williams Sts met Hastings District Council acting chief executive John O'Shaughnessy and other senior council staff on Tuesday to discuss their concerns and the council's response.
"We are appalled at the behaviour of the developer and his total disregard of regulatory requirements," Preston Epplett, a spokesman for the residents, said yesterday.
"We are now aware of the process council needs to follow and we want to be part of that process to ensure the best outcome for the residents of Hastings," he said.
