NSW suburbs with high risk building defects under investigation | List

A major crackdown of building defects in NSW has infected almost every part of Sydney including some of our most exclusive suburbs. See the full list.

A major crackdown of building defects in NSW has revealed dodgy construction has infected almost every part of Sydney, including some of our most exclusive suburbs.

NSW Fair Trading and the Office of the Building Commissioner have undertaken 87 building inspections across the state since landmark building reforms came into force in September last year.

The Saturday Telegraph can reveal Kellyville, Mascot, Rosebery and Wollongong each have at least three apartment buildings inspected for major defects – which include structural problems, waterproofing and fire safety issues.

Sydney’s north shore also has ten buildings that have been inspected, in suburbs including Turramurra, Lane Cove, St Leonards, Cammeray and Crows Nest.

Better Regulation Minister Kevin Anderson said “around 20 per cent of developers are causing the majority of problems in the market which is why our compliance efforts are honing in on these risky players”.

“We operate on a risk basis when it comes to selecting which projects to audit, pulling from multiple data points to determine which players are more likely to cut corners in construction,” Mr Anderson said.

“This includes analysing the records of the certifier, fire practitioner and builder, checking if we’ve received any consumer complaints in the past, and looking into their safety history.

NSW Fair Trading and the Office of the Building Commissioner did 87 building inspections looking for defects. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Gaye Gerard

The inspections have targeted the highest risk projects, with the majority being done on unoccupied apartment towers still under construction.

But twenty-two of the 87 inspections have been done on occupied unit blocks, meaning thousands of residents are literally living on a building site while repairs are done.

Seven prohibition orders and nine buildings works rectification orders have been issued to date.

Developers behind an exclusive block of units in Bellevue Hill were issued with orders Friday preventing them from settling on properties sold off the plan.

Michael d’Apice lives next door to the Cooper Park Rd development which he says has been a building site for seven years.

“The property won’t be completed this year following the new orders, buy it is important that these problems are rectified,” he said.

“The project has huge issues with embedded steel beams sticking out of the concrete.

“This project is the essence of what developers are doing which the rest of the community says is so wrong.”

Mr d’Apice said one unit was sold off the plan in April, months before the developer went into liquidation.

New laws have allowed the NSWBC to obtain documents as well as issue orders to stop work, fix defects and prevent people from moving in.

For every new residential apartment building being constructed, the designers, engineers and builders involved in that work will have to be registered and comply with robust new requirements.

NSW Better Regulation Minister Kevin Anderson.

Karen Stiles is an executive at the Owners Corporation Network.

NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler OAM said further reforms, which came in July 1, are making developers change their behaviour.

“I believe that intending purchasers should now be increasingly confident that a proactive regulator in NSW will be there to help deliver trustworthy buildings as these consumers make the most significant investment of their life,” Mr Chandler said.

“We will continue to make those who do not get the government’s reform agenda accountable.”

Owners Corporation Network executive Karen Stiles, who represents people living in strata, said recent revelations about building defects have overall been a plus.

“If the government does not blink and maintains the pressure then I think we will see more positive consumer sentiment,” she said.

“There is no doubt that consumers are being more diligent when deciding on who to purchase an apartment from.

“They are asking questions about the builder, the developer and the certifier which did not happen as much previously.”