Owner of collapsing West Auckland home can’t save prized possessions before demolition

A badly damaged Scenic Drive property at risk of collapse is continuing to move, with audible creaking sounds coming from the house.

The Swanson home has been red-stickered since it was damaged in two weather disasters that struck Auckland this year.

Last night it began collapsing after heavy rain, forcing the evacuation of a nearby home and road closures.

Today the three-storey home has sandwiched onto itself and been shunted to the side. Cracking and creaking sounds can be heard coming from the house as it continues to shift.

A large section of the cliff face behind has given way and smashed into the rear of the house, bringing tonnes of rubble, mud and foliage.

Smashed decking lies in twisted ruin and a large tree has snapped and now leans against the property’s roof.

The house on Scenic Drive is collapsing as the land slips beneath it. Photo / Dean Purcell

One property adjacent to the home is also badly damaged, while a third red-stickered home is cordoned off but appears to be relatively unscathed.

Homeowner Grant Fraser told the Herald the house was “on the move” and the situation was “not great”.

The family’s prized personal possessions inside their home are unlikely to be saved before the severely damaged structure is demolished.

A neighbour was shocked at the state of the property.

“It’s getting worse all the time. Every time I look up there it’s that much more on a lean. Pretty bad.”

At midday, a drone was deployed over the property, which continues to shift and creak.

Curious locals were filing past the cordon to survey the damage and take photos.

One said, “I thought I was having a bad day. Puts it all in perspective.”

Another said, “it was going to have to be knocked down anyway so now it’s halfway there”.

Another man said he photographed the property yesterday and was amazed by how much it had moved in less than 24 hours.

Yesterday he heard a “huge crack” as he photographed the damage. “I almost crapped myself.”

The house on Scenic Drive, Swanson, began moving after heavy rain on June 27. Photo / Dean Purcell

Just before midday the main west Auckland road just metres from the perilously perched property was reopened to traffic.

The road is being controlled with stop-go signs in operation and traffic is reduced to one lane.

Speaking to NZME this morning, Auckland Council compliance manager Adrian Wilson said two properties on either side of the collapsing home had also been red-stickered and all three had been vacant for some time. A neighbouring property was evacuated last night as a precaution.

He said geotechnical experts assessed Fraser’s property after movement was detected last week, with demolition companies also involved.

Initial slumping of the property had got worse, Wilson said.

“Auckland Council has been monitoring the houses on Scenic Drive since the original slip following the flood and cyclone. Our main concern this morning is the safety of members of the public, and fencing and concrete barricades are in place. We alerted Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) and Auckland Transport to the risk at the property late last week.

Traffic management on Scenic Drive, Swanson, where a house is at risk of collapse in Auckland. Photo / Dean Purcell

“Our monitoring identified that the empty house at 1181 Scenic Drive began to move last week, and was at risk of potential collapse. We engaged engineers to assess the property from a structural and geotechnical perspective. The house was not immediately demolished due to concerns that removing it could worsen the slip behind the property and potentially risk the safety of a demolition team, neighbouring properties, or the road.”

Wilson said Auckland Council staff were assessing the site this morning and awaiting further information from geotechnical engineers, who have been asked to conduct a wider report on the immediate area.

With Scenic Drive reopening under traffic management he encouraged drivers to take care when travelling through the area.

“We are confident that the safety measures in place will protect road users in the event that the house at 1181 collapses any further. We are continuing to assess the site today, and will be guided by technical advice on next steps.”

The property at 1181 Scenic Drive in Swanson, pictured in January. Photo / Google Maps

Wilson said he felt for the Fraser family.

“Obviously this is quite a sad event for them because there’s very little opportunity to go back into the house and recover any of their own possessions.

“They’re aware of the situation. They’ve been kept informed and they were there last week when we had the demolition company there and their representatives of insurance.”

The council was now awaiting advice on how the property could be demolished safely “in a controlled way”, given the danger posed by the slip behind the house.

“We’ll be totally guided by those geotechnical specialists. It’s not just as simple as demolishing the house.”

Asked if there was a similar risk to damaged homes in other areas after recent rain, Wilson said teams were assessed other red-stickered properties to see if they also risked collapse and is demolishing some.

“This was probably the one that was up there in terms of needing some immediate action, the others less so. As you can imagine, we’ve got a lot of red-placarded properties, but not all of them are going to collapse.”

Councillor for Waitākere Shane Henderson said slipping house going to create “havoc” for residents in the area.

“The residents there are doing it tough and [this] will be further stress for them and what’s already been a really stressful year,” Henderson said.