Owners of a rotting luxury apartment complex built in 2001 at Gulf Harbour, north of Auckland, are gearing up for a legal battle against a string of defendants they say failed them.
Monday, April 4th 2005, 8:01AM
by The Landlord
Law firm Cairns Slane is acting for a group of distressed owners of the 41-unit Oyster Cove at upmarket Gulf Harbour on the Whangaparaoa peninsula.
There are plans to lodge a claim in the High Court at Auckland, against six defendants held responsible for designing, developing and certifying the condominium-style housing.
At the centre of proceedings is high-profile property developer Rick Martin and his Cornerstone Group. Mr Martin said in January that he would create a $3.5 billion city at Albany, going unconditional at the end of March on a deal to buy Malaysian-controlled land owner Neil International for $250 million.
Then, Mr Martin said he would begin building 2000 more housing units for about 6000 people and office space for 15,000 workers.
Last month he said the Oyster Cove matter was "a bugger" but that it was not all his responsibility.
Residents in the two blocks at Oyster Cove are angry with the developer, who in 2000 marketed the units to buyers aged over 40 and had them built in 2001.
