Te Pāti Māori calls allegations 'baseless', Auckland is leading the decline in housing and dangerous building notice extended by one month after man rips it up.
A dangerous building notice requiring the removal of a sprawling wooden structure dubbed “The Tower of Ōtara” has been extended by a month to give Kāinga Ora time to arrange for it to be safely taken down.
Meanwhile the man who built the three-storey structure says he has ripped up the notice, saying he will fight to keep his backyard tower.
Auckland Council placed the notice on his front door, but the occupant claimed New Zealand rules did not apply to him.
The extension was made so Kāinga Ora could work through processes to have the structure removed safely.
The tenant of the Ōtara property has defied a council order requiring the removal of his tower. Photo / Michael Craig
The structure the tenant built on his Kāinga Ora-managed property was assembled using discarded materials such as zinc sheets, plywood pieces and plastic slabs held together mainly by glue.
Neighbours raised safety concerns after zinc sheets and a bicycle placed at the top came toppling down when wild weather struck two weeks ago. One neighbour expressed fears falling debris could have killed someone.
The tenant said he feels safe in the backyard tower he built. Photo / Michael Craig
The tenant told the Herald he did not think the structure presented a danger to anyone as it could withstand storms.
In an earlier interview he explained he built the tower - and stored a canoe in a tree next to it - because he believed a flood was coming.
The structure locals call the Tower of Otara has become a neighbourhood tourist attraction. Photo / Jason Dorday
When the Herald visited the property on Wednesday morning, the man was on the top floor pruning branches blocking his escape route.
The tenant said he also had a washing machine and a microwave oven on the second level, powered by an extension cord connected to his house.
Neighbours fear the structure could shed debris in winter storms. Photo / Jason Dorday
Adrian Wilson, the council’s compliance manager, said he understood Kāinga Ora was working through a process to have the structure removed safely.
“To allow time for this, we have extended the date for the dangerous building notice to 7 July, 2024,” Wilson said.
“We have not been informed of a confirmed date for the removal but we expect it to be as soon as possible.”
Wilson said the council’s compliance unit responds to complaints from the public about unsafe buildings or unconsented building work.
He urged the public to report any concerns early to prevent situations escalating to this extent.
A neighbour said she was afraid to go into her own backyard fearing the structure could topple over at any time. Photo / Lincoln Tan
A Kāinga Ora spokeswoman told the Herald: “We are working towards removing the structure from the property as soon as possible, and are working directly with the customer on this.”
A neighbour, who did not want to be named, said the backyard structure was “a safe space” for the tenant.
“The man needs help... it would be cruel to tear down his safe space and leave him with no support,” he said.
