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Stanmore Bay homeowner Lynne Davidson says she has been left high and dry when it comes to solving the problem of subsidence on her property.
She asked the developers of Marina Rise, McConnell Development, to look into the matter because the slumping and cracks in paving began after they put in a retaining wall behind the property. A hole around 2m wide and deep was found beneath a pipe in Lynne’s garden.
Mariner Rise investigated and commissioned a report, which Lynne received last month.
The report concluded that the retaining wall is in good condition and that the sinkhole formed because of a blockage in a private line entering the public line. The blockage was cleared, which the report surmised should have solved the problem. It notes that the sinkhole should be backfilled with compacted gravel to prevent further slumping, whereas Lynne is refilling it with topsoil that settles over time.
However, Lynne says the fact is that she has been left with a hole and slumping paving.
“It’s still sinking and as fast as I top it up, it sinks again,” she says. I’ve had to remove one tree and another is still on a lean. The concrete outside the backdoor is slowly subsiding more. There was no mention of the concrete subsidence in the report. So it’s fair to say I’m not entirely happy.”
Lynne has lived in her property since 2014 and says the problems began after McConnell Development completed Mariner Rise at the end of 2017. The subdivision included building a large retaining wall behind homes that overlook the site, in Elan Place.
Lynne says it’s been a frustrating process, and she is unsure what to do next. She will contact McConnell Development to say she does not agree with the report’s findings while she considers her options.
Backstory April 21, 2021
