An award-winning Perth development has come under fire from a neighbour who claims it caused structural damage that forced her from her home.
Susan Lang, 50, spoke of her frustration at seeing the new building at 5 Melville Street lauded while she has been forced to live in temporary accommodation for a month while repairs are carried out.
The development won architect Fergus Purdie the biennial Perth Civic Trust Award for his “striking contemporary addition to one of Perth’s older streets”.
Ms Lang, who has lived at 7 Melville Street in a property rented from the council for more than 11 years, is not so enamoured by the award-winning structure.
“Four years and seven months ago, when the piling work was done for the foundations of this new-build, it caused major structural damage to the adjacent B-listed Victorian Building in which I live,” she said.
“Although it was known that the structure was vulnerable, Perth and Kinross planning gave permission for Mr Purdie’s building to go ahead. After all this time, I have now been moved out, as has my neighbour downstairs.
“The damage within my flat is shocking and I have had to live with these huge unsightly cracks since then. We have had water and draughts coming through the crack at the gable end, with little or no help or sympathy from either the council or Mr Purdie.
“The old windows, which were already in a poor condition, let in huge draughts, making it even more expensive to heat.
“What really annoyed me was the quote from the assessors, who described it ‘as an exemplary building’ and they were ‘impressed by the ingenuity and initiative shown in creating it on a difficult site’.
“I wonder if they are aware of just how difficult it has been for the people living next door.”
Ms Lang said she was not receiving compensation for the inconvenience apart from a nightly allowance while she is out of her home. “It is a big stress being out of your home,” she said.
When told of the claims, Perth Civic Trust said it was not aware of any issues and did not wish to comment further.
The council denied knowing its property at 5 Melville Street would have been vulnerable during the construction of Mr Purdie’s design.
“Building warrant for the development at 5 Melville Street would not have been granted had there been any evidence to suggest that the development would cause any damage to neighbouring buildings,” a council spokesperson said.
“Although some external and internal cracking appeared in the block of flats at 7-11 Melville Street in 2008, we have monitored the building closely since this time and can find no evidence of any continuing movement.
“The council is currently repairing the cracking in the tenement and is also taking the opportunity to upgrade the flats, including providing tenants with new windows and central heating systems.
“Because safety is of the utmost importance to the council, we have temporarily decanted our existing tenants from their homes in Melville Street to alternative accommodation.”
Mr Purdie declined to become embroiled in the row and said his practice had no comment to make. He did say, however, that his studio and residence at 5 Melville Street is taking part in the Doors Open Days on September 21 and 22, when members of the public would have a chance to see the building for themselves.
He said he welcomed this “opportunity to showcase the vast improvements made to a previously derelict gap site”.