Homes in ‘Hobart’s Worst Development’ to be Demolished

Authorities have ordered that the developers of a residential subdivision dubbed ‘the worst development in Hobart’ move quickly to demolish three homes due to an “intolerable risk” of flooding in heavy rain.

The development at 44 McGill Rise in the suburb of Claremont is on top of a hill in the notoriously hilly southern city of Hobart, with sweeping water and city views.

But three of the homes have this week been deemed uninhabitable due to structural issues, electrical faults and water ingress.

Tenants had complained about receiving electric shocks from kitchen taps and significant water damage, but said their concerns initially fell on deaf ears before authorities investigated.

An audit found that the building surveyor engaged by the developer did not provide adequate documentation about the stability of building platforms for the construction methods used.

The Glenorchy Council raised concerns with Consumer, Building and Occupational Services (CBOS) about the allowing of private building certifiers to provide certificates to council for building approval.

It found that the certificates provided to council should not have been issued.

Subsequent engineering reports uncovered that embankments for some of the properties in the subdivision could collapse in high rainfall, posing a significant threat to life.

The developers are publicly listed as Aviation Consolidated Holdings Pty Ltd, which according to records is directed by a George Ters and Sunjidmaa Altankhuyag.

The developers could not be contacted by The Urban Developer.

Of the 22 new homes, eight had to be vacated after being deemed uninhabitable in the wake of an urgent audit of the construction work.

The three homes to be demolished in the next 90 days are 25, 42 and 44 McGill Rise, which have been vacant since the issues came to light in 2021.

A further five properties at McGill Rise were also deemed structurally deficient but did not pose the same level of risk as the three properties to be demolished.

Glenorchy mayor Bec Thomas explained that the private building surveyor used by the developer signed off on the construction and those certificates were provided to council.

“The council’s priority is public safety. These houses pose an unacceptable risk to that, and they need to be demolished,” she said.

“The council has been engaged with owners of these premises through their legal representatives in an attempt to have rectification work carried out.