Councils employ dedicated staff to crackdown on rogue builders damaging footpaths, roads

Builders are demolishing houses at an astonishing rate across Adelaide but it’s some other damage that is costing councils thousands to repair.

Developers and builders are causing thousands of dollars damage to footpaths, kerbs and roads during construction projects with councils employing dedicated staff to crackdown on rogue businesses.

Tea Tree Gully Council is the latest to employ a dedicated officer empowered to monitor construction sites, and bill companies, found to have destroyed public assets.

It follows a six-month trial of the role last year during which the council monitored 432 building sites and identified $77,000 in damage across 99 locations.

The council negotiated for companies to pay $33,000 towards the repair bills with work continuing on recovering outstanding costs.

TTG Council deputy mayor Lucas Jones said damage to infrastructure had been a longstanding issue for councils and communities.

“With increasing infill residential development, damage costs will most likely increase,” he said.

An example of damage caused to a footpath outside a new house in the Tea Tree Gully council area. Picture: Tea Tree Gully Council

“Members of the public are not allowed to go around and damage public property and neither should developers or builders.”

He said it would not be possible to recover all costs but that the council wants to keep developers and builders “on their toes because they know they are being monitored”.

Adelaide councils told The Advertiser the most common damage was to footpaths, roads and driveway crossovers.

Charles Sturt Council has a specific Damage to Infrastructure Officer whose job is to monitor, manage and “enforce rectification of damage” by private developers, a spokeswoman said.

She said the position has saved the council more than $150,000 annually in repairs to public infrastructure.

West Torrens Council spends about $3450 a month repairing damage to infrastructure.

A spokeswoman said the council will often undertake the work and invoice the builder if they fail to comply with orders to fix the damage.

But she said not all builders and developers reimburse the council.