NSW Fair Trading identifies 44 defects at ‘Ryde Garden’ complex in North Ryde

A whopping number of “serious defects” have been identified at an apartment complex in Sydney’s northwest, including cracking in more than a dozen locations.

A render of the rooftop garden communal space at “Ryde Garden”. Picture: Watpac

A whopping number of “serious defects” have been identified at a unit complex in Sydney’s northwest, prompting the building watchdog to warn the “habitability” of the apartments will be affected if the issues are left untreated.

NSW Fair Trading made building rectification orders on Friday, requiring BGY North Ryde Pty Ltd to fix what it described as 44 serious defects located throughout the “Ryde Garden” complex in North Ryde.

Home to 830 units spread across three buildings, the $264m project was completed in 2018 as a collaboration between the BGY, a subsidiary of embattled Chinese developer Country Garden, and Australian construction company Watpac.

Online, the complex is described as “an urban sanctuary connected to greater Sydney”, just a stone’s throw from the new Metro line and complete with “spectacular city views, a sparkling swimming pool and lush rooftop garden”.

However, according to the building watchdog, it has serious defects that run the risk of reducing “the amenity of the development” and even “the habitability of apartments by their residents”.

Ryde Garden, pictured in September 2024. Picture: Madeleine Damo

Concerningly, 14 of the defects detailed in a building work rectification order related to cracks in the building structure, including “along the wall” of the basement car park.

One defect description said “cracks have migrated through the full depth of the concrete slab”, allowing water to seep through, while white chalky deposits caused by moisture were observed in several spots on the building’s external facade.

The swimming pool at Ryde Garden. Picture: Country Garden

Inadequate waterproofing systems were also revealed to be “deteriorating” in four places, including the roof, with wet carpet on level 23 indicating an “absence of waterproofing and inadequate drainage”.

The lengthy set of orders also detailed how the occupant warning system had “no sounders or speakers” for the basement car park, the ground floor common area and fire pump room, while elevators were without the required emergency warning and intercom handsets.

Inspectors also observed that sprinklers had not been installed in the building’s fire control room, nor underneath the awnings of the lobby.

NSW Building Commission assistant director Yolande Nyss, who issued the order last week, has required all defects to be fixed within four months to ensure the building meets compliance standards.

Ryde Garden, pictured in September 2024. Picture: Madeleine Damo

Ms Nyss said she had “considered all of the circumstances” and that while “considerable further building works were required”, which were “likely to be costly”, such costs “must be balanced against the benefit to the buildings’ owners and occupiers”.

According to the orders, BGY stated “Watpac was the contractor responsible for performing the works at the property pursuant to a design and construct contract” signed April 2016.

Watpac did not respond to request for comment.

Country Garden’s Australian website is no longer active and the developer could not be reached for comment.