Brooklyn's leaky-home link
DAVE BURGESS - The Dominion Post | Monday, 04 February 2008
A man behind Auckland leaky housing developments has bought a controversial Wellington housing subdivision.
Brooklyn Developments No1, an offshoot of Tim Manning's Chaylor Investments, bought the partly completed Brooklyn Rise subdivision, above Ohiro Rd, late last year for an undisclosed sum. It will eventually have 90 homes.
When Mr Manning ran Taradale Properties he was involved in several Auckland projects that had problems with weathertightness, including the Sacramento in Botany Downs, West End in Grey Lynn, The Grange in Albany, and Ponsonby Gardens.
In 2005, the Weathertight Homes Resolution Service awarded $700,000 to seven owners in the Ponsonby Gardens complex, built in 1996.
The site manager and project manager were found liable for more than half the award but the company formed for the development, Taradale Ponsonby Gardens (renamed Sigatoka Investments No5), was not named in the claims as it was in liquidation.
Other weathertightness claims stemming from Mr Manning's companies remain unresolved, including a $19 million claim from owners of the 153-unit Sacramento, which faces repair or demolition.
Home Owners and Buyers Association president John Gray said of Mr Manning: "One would have to question his ability to actually manage the development of quality homes that really do meet the long-term durability and performance requirements of the building code because he has not got a very good track record - that is a fact."
However, Brooklyn resident Rick Stephen said it appeared conditions on the subdivision site had improved since Mr Manning took control.
"The houses that were left unfinished and open to the air, they are certainly working to make them watertight ... they appear to be doing a good job at this moment."
The site was bought from Wellington property developer Lance James, whose company Brooklyn Holdings was fined $2000 for discharging sediment-laden water into Owhiro Stream in 2006.
The regional council issued enforcement notices for him to do work to prevent further damage to the stream.
Project manager Grant Macaskill, from Greenstone Group, said the new owners would undertake the work. Contractors started at the site about two weeks ago after work was halted in early December.
Mr Manning declined to comment when contacted by The Dominion Post yesterday.
"I am actually out on holiday with my family now ... I have people that run it so I will get them to ring you ... and they can go through it with you."
DAVE BURGESS - The Dominion Post | Monday, 04 February 2008
A man behind Auckland leaky housing developments has bought a controversial Wellington housing subdivision.
Brooklyn Developments No1, an offshoot of Tim Manning's Chaylor Investments, bought the partly completed Brooklyn Rise subdivision, above Ohiro Rd, late last year for an undisclosed sum. It will eventually have 90 homes.
When Mr Manning ran Taradale Properties he was involved in several Auckland projects that had problems with weathertightness, including the Sacramento in Botany Downs, West End in Grey Lynn, The Grange in Albany, and Ponsonby Gardens.
In 2005, the Weathertight Homes Resolution Service awarded $700,000 to seven owners in the Ponsonby Gardens complex, built in 1996.
The site manager and project manager were found liable for more than half the award but the company formed for the development, Taradale Ponsonby Gardens (renamed Sigatoka Investments No5), was not named in the claims as it was in liquidation.
Other weathertightness claims stemming from Mr Manning's companies remain unresolved, including a $19 million claim from owners of the 153-unit Sacramento, which faces repair or demolition.
Home Owners and Buyers Association president John Gray said of Mr Manning: "One would have to question his ability to actually manage the development of quality homes that really do meet the long-term durability and performance requirements of the building code because he has not got a very good track record - that is a fact."
However, Brooklyn resident Rick Stephen said it appeared conditions on the subdivision site had improved since Mr Manning took control.
"The houses that were left unfinished and open to the air, they are certainly working to make them watertight ... they appear to be doing a good job at this moment."
The site was bought from Wellington property developer Lance James, whose company Brooklyn Holdings was fined $2000 for discharging sediment-laden water into Owhiro Stream in 2006.
The regional council issued enforcement notices for him to do work to prevent further damage to the stream.
Project manager Grant Macaskill, from Greenstone Group, said the new owners would undertake the work. Contractors started at the site about two weeks ago after work was halted in early December.
Mr Manning declined to comment when contacted by The Dominion Post yesterday.
"I am actually out on holiday with my family now ... I have people that run it so I will get them to ring you ... and they can go through it with you."