Chancery leaks could cost $12m to repair

Chancery's risk factors include monolithic cladding and complicated design and roof details. Photo / Richard Robinson

Auckland's upmarket Chancery precinct has a leaky building problem that could cost up to $12 million to repair.

Alexander and Co, an Auckland building consultant, has prepared documents for the owners showing Chancery needs extensive work. Repairs are expected to start soon.

The complex, in central Auckland, is home to estate agent Barfoot & Thompson, clothing designer Adrienne Winkelmann and fashion retailers Kimberleys, Satori and Working Style.

The complex has a number of leaky building risk factors, including monolithic cladding and complicated design and roof details.

However, it will not be until the cladding has been stripped that the true extent of Chancery's rot will be known. Damaged and wet wood will be removed from the buildings.

Chancery, designed by Ignite architects of Parnell, is owned by about 40 investors who might have to pay about $300,000 each to stop water flowing into the buildings.

Jeremy Wheelan, of Ignite, said Chancery was designed to meet the building standards of the time and questioned whether owners had maintained the buildings properly.

"There's a year or 18-month process of working through the issues," he said. Those involved in creating Chancery would most likely be covered by their insurers if they faced any claims.

Law practice Dawson Harford is acting for Chancery's owners. The leaky building issue has been discussed at a number of body corporate meetings where owners are understood to have expressed their concern at the property's gradual deterioration.

The Chancery has also been hit by the recession.

Shops have already been evacuating the area and "For lease" signs are prominent.

Peter Thompson, Barfoot's director, said he knew of a few places where the building leaked, particularly around a lift well. But it was a landlord issue and Barfoot only leased its headquarters.

Building deterioration had been most noticeable on the outside of the precinct, he said, with signs of discoloured paint and damaged cladding.

In 2002, Chancery won the Property Council/Rider Hunt supreme award as "a clever development that created a new heart in the city and had achieved greater-than-expected returns for its developers Westmark Group and Mission Corporation".