December 01, 2017
Ngati Whatua to fix builders shoddy workmanship
Ngati Whatua Orakei is having to rebuild many of the units in one of its rest homes.
The hapu has just bought a 0.7 hectare block on Kupe St from Housing New Zealand for $16.5 million, and intends to buy a number of other Housing New Zealand blocks along the ridge once existing tenants are rehoused and the land cleared.
Ngati Whatua Whai Rawa director Ngarimu Blair says it’s in no hurry to build, and will consult with beneficiaries on how they want to see the land used and how any development may enhance other assets in the area.
It has also found 33 units in the rest home it developed between 2000 and 2005 must be demolished and rebuilt because of the shoddy workmanship of the era.
"There’s lots of steel missing. If there was steel, not in the right place, fire rating not done properly, and so we're learning from the mistakes of the past and cleaning that up and certainly not making those in future," Mr Blair says.
Ngati Whatua Orakei Trust holds its annual meeting at Orakei Marae tomorrow December 2.
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