Raft of 'defects' found in new Skye Wollongong apartment complex

The 19-storey Skye Wollongong, on the corner of Railway Parade and Rawson Street, has been slapped with a long list of rectification work by NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler.

Read more: Cars crash at this dicey Fairy Meadow intersection almost every week

These include water pooling on the rooftop, concrete cracking on several levels of the underground car park, no waterproofing membrane in some areas and a fire door being locked from the inside.

All-up the building work rectification order issued this week as a result of a February site inspection listed 46 defects to be addressed.

The property developer behind the project is Level 33, owned by Eddy Haddad.

The order gives between 60 and 120 days depending on the individual defect for the developer to fix the issues.

The order also noted that as of late April, four of the defects had been addressed and a Level 33 spokesman said all the issues would be fixed within a few months.

Mr Chandler stated he was aware the long list of defects left Level 33 with a lot of work to do.

"I accept that the order requires considerable further building work that is likely to be costly, and I give this consideration moderate weight," Mr Chandler said.

"However, the cost to the developer must be balanced against the benefit to the occupiers in having the development constructed to the Building Code of Australia and Australian Standards."

A Level 33 spokesman said work was under way to address the issues and would be completed in around three months.

"Level 33 is currently working on rectification works of its Skye Wollongong residential project as part of a standard review of the building in compliance with normal NSW building practices," the spokesman said.

"The rectification works is being overseen by the Department of Fair Trading and will be completed by the end of February 2024. Residents of the building may experience limited inconvenience during this activity.

"Residents are supportive of Level 33's works and the high standard of the building in general."

Skye Wollongong is the latest in a series of new apartments that have fallen foul of the Building Commissioner.

People who bought apartments in Crownview on Crown Street years ago are still waiting to move in as a SafeWork Prohibition Order banning occupancy has been in force since December last year.

The original builder behind the troubled Wonder Apartments in Young Street faced the wrath of the commissioner twice, with work only able to resume earlier this year after the developer changed builders.

The Loft Residences in Loftus Street was also hit with a rectification order due to the building leaking when it rained. That rectification order is still in place.

There have also been widespread defects in newly constructed townhouses in Shell Cove.

On a visit to Wollongong earlier this month Mr Chandler put the local building industry on notice.

"I think there's quite a lot of lifting of the game that's got to be done in the detached dwelling space here, and down in Shell Cove, there's a considerable number of buildings that have got leaks and other defects there," he said.

Our news app has had a makeover, making it faster and giving you access to even more great content. Download The Illawarra Mercury news app in the Apple Store and Google Play.