Apartment complex leaves tenants in darkness after surprise 2cm move: 'Stupidity'

Once boasting skyline views of Melbourne's CBD, the occupants of the office space now look at a wall of concrete a mere 20 millimetres away.

Left: Nick Morris shows the damage done to the exterior of his windows, which are seen obstructed by a concrete slab. Right: A tape measure showing 20mm between the two buildings.
Melbourne man Nick Morris said there's just 20 millimetres between the two units he owns and a new apartment complex in the city's south. Source: ACA

A furious Australian property owner has unleashed on his developer neighbour after a set of 700 residential apartments were built so close to his units that the building completely blocks out any light, and the city views once enjoyed by tenants. There's now just 20 millimetres between the two structures and a huge wall of concrete is now all but pressed against the windows of the existing buildings.

Victorian man Nick Morris owns the two affected buildings used as office spaces on Gladstone Street in South Melbourne. He said they both formerly received natural light and incredible skyline views over the city's CBD, but since developer Greystar erected three buildings next-door, the views – and natural light – are no more.

Morris claims he saw Greystar's building plans prior to their completion and understood there was originally supposed to be a four-metre gap between the two complexes.

A view of a concrete slab obstructing Nick Morris' units.
Morris' tenants now look out the window to a see a huge concrete slab. Source: ACA

But now, since the building's completion in April, all his tenants see from their window is a wall of grey and total darkness.

"It's just stupidity," Morris told A Current Affair. "We've been to the council and we've been to the planning department ... they're passing the buck, no one is claiming responsibility for it".

"Something has gone wrong in either planning or approval."

For its part, Greystar said their planning permit had been amended since it was proposed in 2014 and was approved by the minister for planning.

It said it's developed the apartments in full "accordance" with the law. "This development of 700 new, high quality rental homes was designed in accordance with the planning requirements for the Fishermans Bend urban renewal area," a spokesperson told ACA. "All planning processes and notifications were followed in accordance with the relevant Planning and Building laws."

But Morris said there has been "concrete splash" and "all sorts of elements" that have damaged the windows on his property as its neighbour went up.

The exterior of Morris' units and they skyline view they once boasted.
The exterior of Morris' units and the skyline view they once boasted. Source: Google Maps/Coliers International

Eventually, after months of back and forth, Greystar put an offer in writing to compensate each office occupant $5,000, however Morris isn't fully satisfied with the "paltry compensation figure".

According to the Port Phillip City Council, it did "not approve or modify plans for The Gladstone development".

"Planning approval powers for developments in the Fishermans Bend Urban Renewal Area are with the Victorian Government's Planning Minister if buildings are at least four storeys high and involve 60 or more dwellings," a council spokesperson said.

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