Oravida settles balcony stoush

Oravida purchased the building, originally built as the Ports of Auckland's head office in 2011. Photo / NZ Herald

Oravida has settled its dispute with a lease-owner over a balcony it installed at its downtown Auckland offices.

Oravida, a distributor of New Zealand products to China, in 2011 purchased a building at Auckland's Princes Wharf where its offices are now based.

While it owns the building, another company - Dockland Shed Leases - owns the sub-lease for the land at Princes Wharf.

Lawyers for Oravida Property (a subsidiary of Oravida) and Dockland both appeared in the High Court at Auckland yesterday about a balcony dispute.

Oravida's directors also appeared to give evidence.

Oravida's lawyer, Stephen Hunter, said there was a dispute over whether or not a balcony the company constructed at the Princes Wharf offices materially changed the exterior appearance of the building and therefore required Dockland's consent.

Oravida installed the balcony without seeking this consent - because it did not believe this was required - but shortly before it was finished Dockland obtained an interim injunction in the High Court, which had the effect of halting the work.

While Oravida was applying this week to have the injunction set aside, Hunter yesterday afternoon advised the court that the parties had reached a confidential settlement, bringing the dispute to an end.