Description

Regarding the refusal to issue a code compliance certificate for a 16-year-old building at 600 McLeans Island Road, Christchurch

Scope

This determination arises from the decision of the authority to refuse to issue a code compliance certificate for a 16-year-old building because it was not satisfied that the building work complied with certain clauses of the Building Code (First Schedule, Building Regulations 1992).

The matter to be determined is therefore whether the authority was correct to refuse to issue a code compliance certificate. In deciding this, I must consider:

• Whether the external building envelope of the building complies with Clause B2 Durability and Clause E2 External Moisture of the Building Code that was current at the time the consent was issued. The building envelope includes the components of the systems (such as the wall and roof claddings, the windows, the deck and the flashings), as well as the way the components have been installed and work together;
• Whether various other elements in the building work comply with the other relevant clauses of the Building Code that was current at the time the consent was issued.

It is clear that many unauthorised changes from the original building consent have been made to this building including the upper level of the building being converted to bedrooms that are tenanted to golfing students. This work was undertaken at various times since 1996 including; during the original construction, following completion in 1997 to 2005 when an authorised alteration was made, and from 2005 to the recently completed work in late 2012.

Taking account of its current condition, this determination also considers whether a certificate of acceptance for this building is an appropriate means of resolving the status of the unauthorised building work.