Water brawl leaves new homeowners in Box Hill stranded

More than 50 townhouses in Box Hill are built and ready to live in – but Sydney Water is yet to provide the required approval documents. Residents fear they won’t be in by Christmas.

Ray Apap and David Camilleri (right) pictured at their new home in Boddington Gardens, Box Hill. Picture: Rohan Kelly.

More than 50 homeowners fear they will not be able to move into their new townhouses before Christmas after being left stranded by a dispute between a developer and Sydney Water.

Construction has been completed on stage one of Boddington Gardens at Box Hill, but the homes remain empty as they await a formal compliance certificate from the state’s water utility.

The blocks were purchased off the plan in 2021, with the sunset clause expiring at the end of last year.

Owners were advised in June that they should finally prepare to move in, however five months later they still do not have access to their dwellings.

David Camilleri, who bought one of the properties with his partner Ray Apap, told The Daily Telegraph they had “moved out of a home, sold our property and are waiting to get in here”.

“We are currently living with family, but not everyone has that option,” Mr Camilleri said.

“There are other people that are actually putting their hand up, saying ‘actually, we are in trouble’.”

The Telegraph has been told developer Wiser Capital has been in a “to and fro” with Sydney Water for more than a year as it resubmitted the final design of the water main.

Wiser Capital has told residents this process was delayed within the government bureaucracy, while it is also required to deal with Sydney Water through an “intermediary”

The brand new homes in Box Hill, Boddington Gardens, built by Wiser Capital which are awaiting sign-off by Sydney Water. Picture: Rohan Kelly.

A spokeswoman for Sydney Water said it had “approved a design” for the water systems at Boddington Gardens in 2023 and 2024, and it was then “the responsibility of the developer to deliver construction of the pipes”.

“We received notification that the work was completed this month when the Project Completion Package (PCP) was submitted. The PCP has since been approved,” the spokeswoman said.

The developer has advised residents the 56 new townhouses are now fully completed, but they cannot move in until they are given a final “Section 73” compliance certificate.

Sydney Water claims it sent invoices to the developer last week, including for “infrastructure contributions”, and that it would issue the certificate once these had been finalised.

David Camilleri out the front of the townhouse he bought with partner Ray in 2021 which he is unable to move into. Picture: Rohan Kelly.

Ray Williams, the state Liberal MP for Kellyville. said the state government needed to “get their act together” and sort out the delay.

“Families in Box Hill have been put through the wringer,” Mr Williams said.

“They have paid deposits, taken out loans, made plans and done everything right, yet they are still waiting … every delay has a real impact on local families and on the supply of homes our community desperately needs.

“We need Sydney Water to stop dragging its feet and get this moving so people can finally get the homes they were promised.”

Mr Williams said some of the issues Wiser Capital had experienced with Sydney Water on this project had delayed its other developments in Box Hill.

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Originally published as Water brawl leaves new homeowners in Box Hill stranded