Expert Witness (Cladding) – Lacrosse (BAB)
673 La Trobe Street, Docklands VIC 3008 (2015 – 2017)
Proceeding: 448366 448367 448368 448369 – Owners Corporation (1, 2 and 4) PS613436T v Municipal Building Surveyor Melbourne City Council
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Status: before the Building Appeals Board of Victoria (BAB) – determined January 2017 ([2017] VBAB)
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Tony’s role: expert witness for the City of Melbourne, engaged and instructed by the Victorian Building Authority (VBA).
Description: This matter involved an appeal by the owners against a Building Order in October 2015 to remove and replace the combustible cladding installed at the 21-storey apartment building. This followed a high-profile fire at the building in November 2014 where there was rapid vertical fire spread involving the aluminium composite panels (ACP).
Tony was instructed to provide an opinion on whether it was necessary to remove and replace the combustible cladding (i.e. as per the Building Order). He issued expert reports in September 2015 and July 2016 and gave evidence at the hearing over two days in September 2016.The matter was determined in January 2017, with the Board ruling that the cladding should be removed and replaced.