Illegal building work nets $40k fine

Tauranga District Court.

Tauranga resident Bill Taylor has been ordered by the Tauranga District Court to pay fines and costs to Tauranga City Council following a five year battle over unconsented building work.

In October 2009, Tauranga City Council received a complaint that unlawful building work was being carried out at Mr Taylor's residential property in Wharf Street without building consent. The work included the removal of a retaining wall and part of a bank between his and the neighbouring property.

Since that date the council has been working with Mr Taylor to try to find a workable resolution. The issue remained unresolved and the council brought legal proceedings against Mr Taylor in mid-2013 for failure to comply with the Building Act 2004. In August 2014 Mr Taylor pleaded guilty to the charge.

Today the court ordered Mr Taylor to pay fines and costs totalling $41,130.00. Of this 90 per cent of which will be returned to the council.

Council chief executive officer Garry Poole is pleased with the result.

"The Building Act 2004 exists to protect people from dangerous building work. Council's role is to ensure compliance with the Act and Building Code and we have spent many hours, as well as ratepayer money, to try and resolve this issue with Mr Taylor.

"The decision to take a prosecution against him was a last resort, but we are pleased that the Court recognised the seriousness and prolonged nature of his offending".