Ryman told to fix building faults in new Havelock North $100m retirement village

Thursday, 6 August 2020

Work has stopped on some parts of a $100 million Ryman retirement village under construction in Havelock North after it was discovered numerous parts of it did not comply with the Building Act.

Ryman Healthcare began work on the James Wattie retirement village, which will eventually house 300 people, on Te Aute Rd last year.

It will include retirement living options as well as resthome, hospital and specialist dementia care.

It has been issued with two notices to fix in the past few months. The first was issued in relation to 42 townhouse units being built on the site after Hastings District Council building control officers inspected the site on June 22.

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The notice listed 12 matters that did not meet Building Act requirements, including bricks in the walls not sitting correctly on foundations, and the cavity between the framing and the exterior walls being too small.

It also mentioned flashings that had not been fitted, vent covers being installed upside down and trenches dug that undermined foundations.

On June 26 the council told Ryman to cease work on exterior cladding and groundwork and to have the faults fixed by July 24 or it may face legal action.

Another visit by building control officers on July 8 revealed that timber wall framing in 42 units had not been erected straight enough. The council told Ryman to have this fixed by August 10.

“All building work must cease immediately until the authority that issued this notice is satisfied that you are able and willing to resume operations in compliance with the Building Act 2004 and the regulations under this Act,” the notice stated.

The council would not say whether the required work had been completed.

“The council will be making no further comment while the matter is under investigation,” a spokeswoman said.

Ryman’s corporate affairs manager David King told Stuff work had stopped in affected areas but the company was “working through the issues with the council collaboratively, and we will resolve any issues”.

“We are still targeting to be able to move our first residents in around September 21. The council is aware of these dates, and we are working with them,” he said.

“The village represents a $100 million investment in Hawke’s Bay and will provide critical healthcare infrastructure for the area, as well as an economic boost at a difficult time. We turned our villages into safe havens during Covid-19 emergency, and they are built to provide safety and security for residents which we think will be even more important in the years ahead,” King said.

Plans for the complex include a 90-bed care centre with resthome, hospital and dementia-level care. The village will also include 78 serviced apartments, 44 independent apartments and 103 townhouses.