Everybody needs good neighbours, but a state government housing project in Tasmania’s north-west is eroding the foundations of friendship before a single home has been completed.
Residents of the Burnie suburb of Romaine say they have had access to parts of their own backyards restricted as land at the shared boundary has started crumbling onto the Homes Tasmania development.
Temporary fencing, complete with “KEEP OUT” and “DO NOT ENTER” signs, has been erected in the residents’ backyards this week, following heavy rainfall, blocking some from even accessing their own sheds.
Homes Tasmania said monitoring was in place to ensure safety, and that an “alternative construction methodology” was being implemented.
Homes Tasmania says monitoring is in place to ensure safety. (ABC News: Sandy Powell)
‘Kids can’t go out in the backyard’
Roslyn Avenue resident Geoff Dyke said earthworks started at his western boundary earlier this year.
He said there was now a two-to-three-metre drop off the edge of his backyard where the developer removed his existing fence.
Mr Dyke said the developer told him a retaining wall was going to be built to prevent further collapse, but he had been given no timeline for when that would be complete.
In the meantime, the temporary fencing blocks the pathway between his garage and western boundary.
“[We] mostly can’t access the backyard, only through the house,” Mr Dyke said.
Despite the hassle, Mr Dyke appears to be more bemused than annoyed by the ordeal.
“It’s nuisance value mostly, more than anything,” he said.
“What’s the use of getting cranky about it? We could have swore at them, we could have got cranky … but what would have happened?“
Geoff Dyke says there’s no point getting cranky. (ABC News: Sandy Powell)
Having lived at the property for more than three decades with his wife, he was optimistic the issue will be rectified.
“We’ve been here 30 something years … so another 12 months won’t matter,” Mr Dyke said.
He said there had been little information from the developer or the government about how the situation would be rectified.
Next door, Jacob Carpenter is more frustrated by the situation as he is concerned about safety issues for his children and the family dog in the backyard.
Fencing has been erected in some of the neighbours’ yards. (ABC News: Sandy Powell)
He has also lost access to a strip of land along his back boundary that is now behind the temporary fencing, and part of his boundary fence was also removed.
“My kids can’t go out in the backyard, I don’t want to let my dog in the backyard,”
he said.
“So, we’ve either got to not go outside or drive to a park.
“[That is] frustrating because we’ve already got swings and trampolines and bikes and everything like that in the backyard.”
Mr Carpenter said he had attempted to contact Homes Tasmania and the developer but had not received a response.
Homes Tasmania ‘takes concerns seriously’
The development is one of the state government-driven housing developments under construction in Burnie that forms part of Homes Tasmania’s original goal of building 10,000 new homes by 2032.
But the state government announced earlier this year that it was not only shelving Homes Tasmania, but the entire State Growth Department. From this, it will establish Building Tasmania.
Homes Tasmania, which is being shut down and replaced, had a goal to build 10,000 new homes by 2032. (ABC News: Luke Bowden)
Mr Dyke said that left affected residents unsure of where to turn for answers.
“Homes Tasmania started this and within a few weeks, probably a month, it had been announced that they were going to be shut down and someone else is going to take it over,” he said, laughing.
“The wheels of government move slowly.”
In a statement, a Homes Tasmania spokesperson said the excavation work had not encroached onto the neighbouring properties, adding that it was monitoring the situation.
“Homes Tasmania and its construction partner are actively managing the site and have implemented an alternative construction methodology that will assist in expediting completion of works and any associated remediation activities,” they said.
“Homes Tasmania takes any concerns relating to adjacent properties seriously and will continue to monitor the situation closely in line with established processes and expert advice.”
Burnie City Council general manager Shane Crawford said the council was also keeping an eye on the issue.
“Council has … received updates on the actions being taken to address the situation and ensure appropriate safety measures are in place to protect neighbouring properties,” Mr Crawford said.
Housing Minister Kerry Vincent said the government expected Homes Tasmania “to deliver all projects in line with requirements and with as little disruption to their neighbours as possible”.
