Marsden boss faces new woes

More companies of developer Oliver Scott are in danger of being struck off.

Two firms of the man behind the failed Marsden City development are in danger of being struck off the Companies' Officer registrar for failing to file annual returns.

Developer Oliver Scott was behind the 83ha Marsden City plan through his companies North Holdings Development Ltd, NH Infrastructure Ltd and North Holdings Investment Ltd. The companies were put into receivership on May 21. The receivers, BDO Auckland, would not say how much they owed.

Whangarei ratepayers will have to pick up the $5.4 million bill to repair infrastructure subsidence at the failed Marsden City development while Whangarei District Council tries through the courts to recoup the money from the scheme's designers and builders.

The Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has confirmed that two more of Mr Scott's companies - Marsden City Ltd and Marsden City Developments Ltd - are close to being removed from the Companies' Office register.

"Annual returns were due to be filed for Marsden City Ltd and Marsden City Developments Ltd in June of this year," an MBIE spokesman said.

"The returns have not been filed despite the Registrar of Companies sending overdue reminders to the companies on July 6.

"The companies are still registered but their entries on the register have been noted to reflect the action that the Registrar is presently taking."

The Companies Act 1993 makes it an offence for the board of directors of a company to fail to file its annual return.

"A search of the register indicates that ... Oliver Nigel Scott is currently listed as being the director of nine registered companies, of which two are in liquidation and three are in receivership. He is also listed as having been a director of five struck off companies," he said.

Mr Scott declined to comment on the possible removal of the companies or the failed Marsden City development.