Glenorchy City Council has served demolition orders on the owners of three houses which were not built to code and pose an unacceptable public safety risk.
Glenorchy Mayor Bec Thomas said the three houses in McGill Rise, Claremont, had not been inhabited since 2021 when structural issues first came to light.
“Council has been engaged with owners of these premises through their legal representatives in an attempt to have rectification work carried out. That has not occurred, and council now has no option but to have the buildings demolished to prevent them collapsing and potentially injuring someone or damaging other property.”
Mayor Thomas said investigations had revealed the houses in question were constructed on unstable platforms which meant they were structurally unsound from the outset.
“Unfortunately, the private building surveyor used by the developer signed off on the construction and those certificates were provided to council. However, the fact is that the platform the houses were built on should not have been certified.
“Council feels for the people who have been impacted by this situation. The owners, previous tenants who had to be evacuated, nearby residents – it is a situation that could have been avoided had the proper private building surveyor checks occurred in the first place.
“Given the issue around these houses at McGill Rise, council has raised concerns with Consumer, Building and Occupational Services about the allowing of private building certifiers to provide certificates to councils for building approval. The certificates provided to council shouldn’t have been issued.”
Mayor Thomas said the council had given the owners 90 days to comply with the demolition order.
“Council’s priority is public safety. These houses pose an unacceptable risk to that, and they need to be demolished.”
Mayor Thomas said there were five other properties at McGill Rise which were also structurally deficient but did not pose the same level of risk as the other three.
“Council will continue to work with the owners of these vacated houses to determine a way forward regarding rectification work that ensures necessary standards are met and public safety is not compromised.
“We will also continue monitoring the houses to ascertain if there is any change in their structural integrity which may require more urgent action,” she said.
The council has written to nearby residents to update them on the situation and advise them of the demolition order.