Lyall Bay House: Residents Fear Dangerous, Neglected Property Could Collapse

Residents of Wellington’s Lyall Bay are increasingly concerned about the deteriorating condition of a neglected property on Queens Drive, fearing it poses a danger to passersby. The two-story building has fallen into disrepair over many years, and recent severe storms have exacerbated the problem, tearing roofing iron from the structure and breaking windows.

The house, more than 100 years old, is currently boarded up at ground level, with windows and former shopfronts covered in painted plywood. On the second level, windows are missing, leaving the interior exposed to the elements and covered in graffiti. A veranda on the building’s frontage is blackened with dirt and supported by a pillar that is visibly bulging outward towards the pavement.

Emma Dee, a resident of nearby Rongotai, said the sight of the damaged building brought back traumatic memories. “We had a neighbour – who lived five houses down from us – lose their roof and it took out part of our house while we were in there with with our kids. It’s so amazing to me that nobody was injured by shrapnel or killed or worse,” she said. “I’m shaking. There’s a little bit of PTSD there.”

Michelle, a Lyall Bay resident for the past 20 years, expressed surprise that the building had survived recent gales. She noted that the veranda’s supporting pillar has been bowing badly for the last six to twelve months. “I was kinda surprised to see it still standing though,” she said. “I really think that council should be looking at stopping people walking underneath it in case an accident happens. It’s one gust of wind away from falling down I’d say.”

Another resident, Jo Maunder, highlighted the building’s long-term decline and the potential hazards it presents. She said the property had become a magnet for trouble, with people using it as a makeshift clubhouse and police being called to address issues of trespassing and damage. “We just thought ‘what’s all that noise?’ one day and there were all these police cars outside. [They] were going into the property and pulling out brand new bicycles and tyres and kegs of beer,” she said.

Wellington police confirmed they had been called to the property at least five times in the last two years due to people entering and damaging the building. They stated they had contacted a relative of the owners and provided “routine prevention advice.”

The property is listed as being owned by Eva Shue and Jan Meng Shue. Attempts to reach the owners for comment have been unsuccessful.

According to Wellington City Council records, complaints about the building’s condition date back to 1997. Between 2002 and 2006, an engineer assessed the veranda and determined it was not dangerous. Further attempts to contact the owners were made in 2017 and again between 2022 and 2025. The council requested maintenance work on the veranda by May 2026, but has received no response from the owners.

The council stated that under the Building Act 2004, a building is considered dangerous if It’s likely to cause damage or injury. However, the council noted it has limited powers until a building reaches this threshold, and can only require owners to address dangerous elements, not to renovate or make the building habitable.

Property lawyer Kristine King suggested that the council’s interpretation of the Buildings Act may be hindering action. She explained that the definitions of “dangerous” and “insanitary” are broad, and that the council’s internal policies influence how these definitions are applied. “It’s interesting that council is saying that’s a ‘high’ threshold when the definition of ‘dangerous’ just includes ‘injury’. I understand entirely if their definition required ‘death’, that’s a very, very high standard, but ‘injury’ in of itself is a far lower bar,” King said.

The council said compliance officers continue to monitor the building and that it remains secure. They are expected to respond to a request for comment regarding recent storm damage under the Official Information Act.