Workers on Ebert site, tools and equipment retrieved

Guards surrounded the site today. Photo/Jason Oxenham

Workers have been allowed back into Ebert Construction's biggest Auckland building site to retrieve equipment and tools, a developer says.

Farhad Moinfar, whose Myland Partners is developing the 153-unit Union Green apartments on Union Street near the Southern Motorway, said the receiver had allowed that.

"They're just removing equipment. In the past few days, PwC provided access to various people to remove tools and equipment from the site. We can't have the subcontractors impeded from what they do. They're on site at the moment," Moinfar said.

"They're using a Tower Cranes NZ crane to remove equipment," he said.

Staff wearing hi-viz Tower Cranes NZ vests were working on sheds on the site this morning.

Tower Cranes has its branding on one big structure while Ebert has its logo on a neighbouring crane.

Security guards were out in force on Union St and the older low-rise office building at 29 Union St was being used for meetings.

Moinfar said the project was approximately half-finished, with work up to level six on the 12-level tower.

Equipment removal is not necessarily a good omen for apartment buyers, hoping the project would re-start and be finished so they can settle their purchases.

John Fisk, a PwC receiver, said access was granted yesterday and today.

The Herald reported yesterday how buyers of 283 Auckland apartments were caught up in the receivership of the national builder and are waiting nervously to hear how long this might delay the building projects.

Workers on site at Ebert Construction's Union Green apartments this morning. Photo/Jason Oxenham

Completion and final sign-off is expected on Union Green and Albany's Library Lane, after buyers paid deposits for millions of dollars worth of places in the projects, now locked down by PwC receivers while they undertake investigations into the big building business and its many projects.

Andrew Bayly, National's building and construction spokesman, said Building and Construction Minister Jenny Salesa had had nine months to come up with policy to address the "perfect storm" threatening the industry yet had done nothing.

The core of the apartment tower is up to about level six. Photo/Jason Oxenham

He put to her this week comments by Property Council chief executive Connal Townsend made in the Herald that there is a "perfect storm" in the building and construction sector that includes issues with cost escalations, allocation of risk, lack of skills and problems with the Building Act.

He also asked during question time in the House what new policy initiatives she had announced to prevent the loss of skilled tradesmen to Australia and to get new products in the building sector.

"The minister is taking far too long to deal with issues that are becoming more critical every day."

Workers onsite at Ebert Construction's Union Green apartments this morning. Photo/Jason Oxenham

Salesa said late last month that the 2018 National Construction Pipeline Report showed signs of sustained growth for the next six years, providing a projection of national building and construction activity.

for the first time since the forecasts were published in 2013, the modelling forecasted sustained growth, reflecting strong construction demand nationwide, she said.