Shoddy build video is of $50m Albany site, developer admits

Professional bodies have raised concerns over building methods revealed on the video from the Gills Rd, Albany site. Photo / Supplied

Developer George Hunter has confirmed his $50 million-plus housing project at Albany is the site of a shoddy-building video and vowed to fix the problems.

"I'm not trying to run away from it," Mr Hunter told the Weekend Herald after viewing two Auckland Council videos yesterday.

He said issues with concrete-block work in the first video related to four or five units in stage two under construction. A second video related to some properties that had been built and sold in stage one at Silvermoon Park in Gills Rd.

"They will not have people living in them until they get code of compliance. I don't want anyone ever coming back and saying I have done anything shoddy," Mr Hunter said.

Auckland Council put the videos on its news website on Tuesday to highlight shoddy building practices, and took them down hours later after they were re-posted by the Herald.

The council has refused to identify the site or the developer, or say if any of the properties met the building code and had been signed off.

Yesterday, the Herald identified the site after a property investor said she recognised it from the videos and instructed her solicitor to cancel an agreement to buy at Silvermoon.

The Brick and Blocklayers Federation said based on the first video, it believed the properties were "potentially very dangerous".

Federation chief executive Melanie McIver said there was either insufficient or no grout (concrete) in places shown in the video.

This combined with footage showing strong cracking would suggest the building-code performance requirements of a B1 structure were not being met, she said.

"The building does not appear to be withstanding the loads from construction. The risk is that the walls could collapse," Ms McIver said.

Master Builders Association chief executive David Kelly said the first video showed work that flouted the law and he believed the properties were vulnerable in an earthquake.

Mr Hunter said the work on stage two was done by a subcontractor who had been fired after he discovered substandard work.

"I don't adhere to any bloody shoddy work. I have paid for three independent engineers to go through and have a look and today [Friday] I was on site with another engineer, with the council inspecting and coming up with a solution.

"Aesthetically it doesn't look any good, but we are coming up with a remedy," Mr Hunter said.

"Structurally they are still very sound houses and they will get their code of compliance. I will rectify whatever is required."

Silvermoon Park

• Developer confirms site is subject of shoddy-building video.

• Promise made by developer to fix problems.

• Council refuses to identify site or developer.

• Two professional bodies express concern about work on properties.