This article is from the Australian Property Journal archive
IN a climate of heightened scrutiny of building and development standards, the NSW Land and Environment Court has ordered the construction of a 25-storey apartment tower in Burwood be halted, after the detection of certification anomalies and an alleged $700,000 in unpaid stamp duty.
Workers at the 1-3 Marmaduke St and 7 Dean St worksite locked up and left the property after decision.
Justice Timothy Moore referred the certifier to the profession’s regulatory body, and the builder of the project to the state revenue office over the stamp duty allegations. A $13 million difference between the declared purchase price and that later claimed in court was noticed, which would have saved the buyer $700,000 in stamp duty.
The builder is Maroun Taouk, director of TQM Design & Construct Pty Ltd. His brother, Mark Taouk, is the owner and developer through his company Dean Street Holdings Pty Ltd. Each has shares in the others’ companies.
Justice Moore ordered that an emergency interlocutory order issued last week stopping work should stand until the matter goes to trial next month.
