Neighbour's complaint shuts down brothel

The council took action after Trevor Bindon complained. Photo / The Aucklander

A Mt Albert resident's complaint about "strange men knocking at his door" has led to Auckland City Council using a technical clause in planning rules to shut down a brothel in a residential street.

Trevor Bindon wants to use his experience to help other members of the public concerned about sex businesses in their neighbourhoods, he told The Aucklander.

Some weeks ago, after noticing more traffic in his street and difficulty in finding a carpark, he decided to investigate and was surprised to find the plain-looking house next door was a brothel.

A few weeks ago his wife opened the door to a man who stepped in like a "long-lost friend", before being told he was at the wrong address.

"Since that we've had numerous people knocking on our door," said Mr Bindon. It's just terrible. This is a nice neighbourhood."

Mr Bindon complained to Auckland City Council, and now the manager of the house has been given three weeks to shut the place down.

In April, an application for a brothel licence for a proposed "love motel" on Auckland's North Shore was rejected after complaints from residents.

In the same month, the opening of a brothel across the road from a school in West Auckland provoked outrage. Waitakere MP Paula Bennett promised to see if anything could be done to remove the premises.

To read the full story about Mr Bindon's victory over the Mt Albert brothel, visit www.theaucklander.co.nz