Donghua Liu convicted on buildings charges
As first reported by the National Business Review, the charges related to a Remuera home which has a ratings value of $3.45 million and an Epsom house valued at $2.6 million
Controversial Chinese businessman Donghua Liu has pleaded guilty to property related charges.
Auckland Council took Mr Liu to court over two charges of failing to comply with conditions of a resource consent and performing building work without a consent.
As first reported by the National Business Review, the charges related to a Remuera home which has a ratings value of $3.45 million and an Epsom house valued at $2.6 million.
The Remuera home was owned by Mr Liu but according to property records has been sold to his company Roncon Pacific Hotel Management.
The council said Mr Liu has failed to comply with resource consents lodged over the Remuera home and built without consent on the Epsom site.
In the Auckland District Court Judge Brian Dwyer said the offending wasn’t minor.
He commented that, as Mr Liu’s occupation is a property developer, he should have been aware of the legal requirements.
Mr Liu was fined $7125 for the Building Act charge and $10,700 on the Resource Management Act charge along with court costs of $130 on each of the two charges.
Auckland Council building control manager Ian McCormick said at both properties Mr Liu had excavated underneath the house and left the house inadequately supported, leaving the house at risk of collapse.
WorkSafe New Zealand has also issued infringement notices to Mr Liu for flouting health and safety laws, relating to work on residential properties.
A spokesman confirmed earlier this year Mr Liu was fined $3000 for breaches of the Health and Safety Act but no-one was injured.
The fine came after an earlier November 2013 notice for a separate site.
Worksafe will not say where the properties were but confirmed they were in Auckland.
Victoria Young
Thu, 02 Oct 2014
Thu, 02 Oct 2014
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Donghua Liu convicted on buildings charges
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