Kelly Flavell Law
Howick and Pakuranga
Tough R/E market?
Assisting In Your Success
Call Eric Koh
Subdivisions
AWARD-WINNING VOICE OF THE COMMUNITY – NZCNA Thursday, October 11, 2018
Est. 1972
102701-v4
121142
General 271 8000 ■ Classified 271 8055 ■ Delivery Enquiries 271 8000 ■ Website www.times.co.nz
Going old school
Direct Freephone: 09 929 4433 E: e.koh@barfoot.co.nz www.barfoot.co.nz 127913-V6
Telephone (09) 535 2150
AREINZ
M: 021 388 383
Vol 47, No 41
P5
Building site from ‘hell’ A
Highland Park family is at its wit’s end after what they claim have been eight months of intimidation, bylaw breaches and questionable behaviour from a building site next door. Bethany Brown lives on Struan Place in Highland Park and says the street is experiencing significant change under the Unitary Plan’s Mixed Housing Urban Zone. Two years ago number 2 Struan Place was sold to developers who have since knocked down the small residential home and built two multi-storey terraced houses in
its place. Construction started in February and kicked off months of “hell” says Bethany. What started as uncomfortable cat calling from construction workers on site, she claims has progressed to cursing, threats and sexual harassment. “It’s so bad that I don’t feel safe in my own home,” says the 21-yearold. She lives in the home, which they are renting, with her mother, younger sister and brother. She says she, her mother, sister and several neighbours have been subject to sexual slurs including “w****”, “s***”, “b****” and c***” on
READY, SET
INSTANT
Garden Colour 10 FOR
$1.69 EACH
$10
SAVE $6.90
more than one occasion. “We have to put up with construction 11 hours a day for months now and understandably we are fed up. "But whenever we point out anything the workers shouldn’t be doing, we get sworn at and called horrible names,” she says. On one occasion Bethany and her mother confronted a construction worker about starting work 30 minutes earlier than legally allowed, not realising they had consent to do so. “We were greeted with shrugs and one guy came up to my mum and told her she “just needed a
Grow !
NEW SEASON’S
Water Features
$50 OFF
Cnr Pakuranga & Pigeon Mountain Rds, Pakuranga, Auckland. Open 7 days 8.30am - 5pm. Ph 534 6847 All offers valid until 15th October 2018. While stocks last.
quick f***”,” Bethany says. After a third incident in which Bethany’s mother was the victim of sexual slurs, the family went to the Howick Police Station to report all the incidents. “[The Sergeant] and his partner came out to speak to my sister and my mother about our concerns but decided ultimately that we had provoked [the workers] in every instance so far.” On another occasion Bethany said she asked the bricklayer, who she says has been a constant source of trouble, to not park in the residents’ on-street parking. “As I was in my car driving away
Simeon Brown MP for Pakuranga Feel free to contact me anytime.
Lightweight Pots
25
%
A
120a Pakuranga Road, Pakuranga
P
09 572 0000
E
PakurangaMP@parliament.govt.nz
W
simeonbrown.national.org.nz
OFF JH14275-V2
By THERESE HENKIN and NICK KRAUSE
Funded by the Parliamentary Service and authorised by S Brown, 120a Pakuranga Road, Pakuranga. KC13132
he stopped and yelled “c***, w**** “at me. When confronted, he threatened to “get [his] wife to bash me”.” Again the police were called. “The officer I spoke to made it out that he believed the bricklayer over my claims and that I must have caused the whole incident,” Bethany says. Bethany says she and her neighbours have had several confrontations with various construction workers on the site over excessive noise outside of legal working times, trucks and cars blocking the street and driveways and workers trespassing on her property. ➤ Turn to Page 5