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The sign at the entrance to the driveway says “no parking, private property.”
That hasn’t stopped contractors from using it as a parking spot while building the units next door.
Carole Anderton, a former Christchurch city councilor and wife of the late Jim Anderton, lives at the end of that driveway.
She understood the need for more housing, but the work has been going on for about a month. The contractors, without asking, tore down part of their tin fence and put a temporary fence in its place.
STACY SQUIRES / Stuff
Carole Anderton is furious that the contractors enter her driveway and tear down the fence without any notification.
“They have refused to put it back in and refused to leave when I asked them to. Now they ask me to pay half for a new fence. ”
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The main contractor said Stuff things should have been handled differently and Anderton should have been consulted.
Anderton spoke after hearing about Brett Hodge, who said he was assaulted after asking a construction contractor to move a vehicle blocking his driveway.
Blocked driveways are a common problem. The city council received around 1600 complaints of this type in the year up to June 30. Its parking enforcement department issued more than 1,300 violation notices.
STACY SQUIRES / Stuff
Anderton says his fence was dismantled without notice or consultation.
Anderton said he endured trucks being parked in his driveway while delivering frames and other construction materials, even though they had a large crane and could access the site from the street.
“It’s my fence and my driveway, but I guarantee you they won’t pay to reseal when they damage it with their trucks.”
Carol Anderton / Supplied
Its entrance is not a public access road, but contractors have used it as a parking space. Stuff was unable to obtain feedback from this company.
The latest construction was the last straw due to contractor attitudes, he said.
Previous contractors requested his permission to remove the fence and promised to reposition it and replace a section of agapanthus plants they unearthed. They put the fence back, but the plants were thrown away. She replanted the area at her own cost.
This time no one asked before tearing down the fence.
STACY SQUIRES / Stuff
Despite the signs, Anderton has endured oversized trucks and delivery drivers on its driveway.
Surely the word is consultation, not confrontation?
Jed Moore Construction is the construction contractor, and Moore acknowledged that things should have been handled differently.
A former project manager, who was no longer with the company, had been negligent in his obligations to Anderton and had not been able to speak to her before tearing down the fence, he said.
“I understand your problem. At the end of the day, they should have asked him, and it’s unfortunate that there wasn’t a simple knock on the door. ”
Christchurch City Council Resource Consent Chief John Higgins said the housing project was in compliance with the District Plan rules.
Contractors were trespassing if they accessed Anderton’s driveway without their permission, but that wasn’t an issue the council could deal with, he said.
“Parking law enforcement can address problems on the road, but not on private land.”
Christchurch City Council Transportation Operations Manager Steffan Thomas said complaints about vehicles blocking entrances were relatively consistent and treated as a high priority.
Thomas said 450 complaints have been received since July 1 and more than 350 violation notices have been issued.
What are your rights
If someone is parking on public land across from your driveway, the city council can send the parking law enforcement. Parking enforcement officers can tow a vehicle that causes an obstruction.
If someone parks on your property without your permission, they can tell you they have trespassed or give you a notice of violation. If they drop it to the ground, it is still considered served. You must allow a reasonable time for the intruder to leave, but if he stays or takes too long to leave, you can call the police at 111. If he comes back later, he has committed a violation and can call 111. You can find more information. on the police website.
