Bella Vista trial enters its third week in Tauranga District Court

The last few witnesses brought to testify by prosecution counsel in the court case surrounding the fallout of Bella Vista Homes are expected to give evidence this afternoon.

This is the third week of the judge-alone trial in the Tauranga District Court since the case resumed following the nationwide Covid-19 lockdown.

Bella Vista Homes Limited, The Engineer Limited, their respective directors Cancian and Bruce Cameron, and bricklayer Darrel Joseph are defending a raft of charges in a judge-alone trial following the evacuation of 21 houses in various stages of completion in The Lakes property development in March 2018.

The charges were brought by the Tauranga City Council and relate to the defendants allegedly carrying out building works which were not in accordance with the Building Act, in particular a building consent.

Bella Vista Homes went into liquidation in November 2017.

The trial resumed on June 30. Already, the court has heard allegations of forgery, discount deals for sections, "unorthodox" building methods and testimony that some clients bought homes from Bella Vista not realising their building consents were incomplete and non-compliant.

Defence counsel are yet to call their witnesses, expected to start taking the stand this week.

Prosecution and defence will then sum up their cases before Judge Paul Mabey, QC.