Our dream home nightmare: Work on couple’s luxury property is shut down because their CEO neighbour’s second storey is 40cm away from their wall – making it impossible for tradies to finish the job
- Two Gold Coast properties have been built 40cm apart
- One of the houses cannot be completed due to the gap
- Couple Kathy Morin and Devon Matsalla filed a complaint
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An investigation has been launched into how two luxury houses were built just 40cm apart, with one couple fearing their dream home may never now be finished.
Canadian expats Kathy Morin and Devon Matsalla are building a waterfront house at Coomera Waters on Queensland’s Gold Coast.
But construction has been stalled for the past month because of a row over the slim gap between their home and the upper floor of the neighbouring property owned by Dreamworld CEO Greg Yong.
Builders say they are unable to safely install scaffolding between the two properties, putting the completion date of the Canadian couple’s home in doubt.
The couple said they were ‘shocked, very confused’ and ‘heartbroken’ after finding out that their home plans were in tatters.
Gold Coast City Council have launched an investigation into how two waterfront homes came to be built just 40 centimetres apart
‘It’s a dream we have been planning for years now, we are so close. But then this issue raises its ugly head in our path,’ Mr Matsalla told A Current Affair.
Ms Morin added: ‘If it was (just the matter of) a couple of centimetres, we wouldn’t be having this conversation – but it’s preventing us from building our house.
‘That’s big… it’s not aesthetics.’
The couple have filed a complaint with Gold Coast City Council which has now launched an investigation.
Council regulations allow homeowners to build right to the edge of the southern perimeter of their boundary.
Canadian couple Kathy Morin and Devon Matsalla (both pictured) have been left ‘shocked’ and ‘heartbroken’ after their dream home has been put on hold because of the tight gap
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But home designs are supposed to leave a 2.5m gap on the northern edge of plots, unless granted special council permission.
The overhanging design of Mr Yong’s home means his second storey is just 40cm away from his northern perimeter, and within touching distance of the Canadian couple’s under-construction home.
A day after the two neighbours met to try to resolve the problem, architects for the theme park CEO filed a ‘minor change application’ to council.
Mr Yong says the development plans for his property were approved by the local council.
‘It’s what got approved. We wouldn’t have been able to build it or move in if it wasn’t certified,’ he said.
Dreamworld CEO Greg Yong (pictured) says the local council gave him approval for his development plans beforehand
Ms Morin said both she and the couple’s builder have ‘no idea’ how Mr Yong’s plans were approved.
It’s unclear why the problem wasn’t noticed until the couple’s frame was built
Mr Yong says he’s open to temporarily removing the wooden battens on the upper floor of his home so scaffolding could be built.
He said the builders of both properties had already discussed the issue.
However, the Canadian couple’s builder denied that and said Mr Matsalla and Ms Morin would face additional costs, including installing a firewall because of the proximity to their neighbours.
Gold City Council confirmed to Daily Mail Australia they were investigating the issue and have given Mr Yong until the end of February to respond.
Dreamworld declined to comment.
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