Most read: Dunedin family forced to remove treehouse over privacy concerns gets a new, compliant, structure

The saga of the Oke family's treehouse went nationwide, but now, the young boys who want to enjoy it can do so.

This story was first published on Monday August 13.

The Dunedin treehouse that sparked a nationwide outcry over council bureaucracy has been brought back to life - or rather, rebuilt.

The treehouse, belonging to the Oke family, was ruled in breach of the Building Code by the Dunedin City Council after a neighbour’s complaint over privacy. 

While it didn’t breach privacy rules, the council told the family it was considered an unsafe structure, and demanded it be removed.

“I think it was ridiculous, I still think that,” says the boys' mother Janice Norman-Oke.

Read more:  Council tells family to remove backyard treehouse it says breaches Building Code

It was Ms Norman-Oke’s father Trevor who’d built the treehouse for his grandchildren, and he too thought it was perfectly safe to climb.

“What's wrong with kids playing in their own backyard anymore, are we not allowed that?” he said at the time.

“I don't see why the council would waste their time on it.”

But the council was insistent the structure had to come down.

The treehouse’s owner was notified by the city council that a complaint had been received about it.

However after multiple media outlets picked up Fair Go’s story, Dunedin councillor Mike Lord came up with a solution.

He brought together an anonymous donation of materials and the Mosgiel Rotary Club to rebuild the treehouse to a new, compliant standard.

And the boys are pretty happy with the result.

“It’s excellent for Nerf wars,” says Logan Oke.

His brother Ethan’s equally pleased with the new playhouse.

“It’s got a lot more room and you can fit lots more people up [there]” he says.

Mum Janice is just pleased this suburban saga is finally over.

“The media attention was a little substantial, more than I expected” she says.

“However that really helped solve the issue, really quickly”.

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