Residents of failed Bella Vista development reject Tauranga City Council's offer to buy homes

A damning report into the Bella Vista residences has called for an inquiry.

Residents of the failed Bella Vista development have today declined the Tauranga City Council's offer to purchase their homes.

All 21 homeowners had to accept the price offer, and because they did not, legal proceedings will follow.

The offer concerned was made by Tauranga City Council on July 24.

At the time, the council said it considered the offer a fair and reasonable approach to make sure homeowners are compensated for the amounts that they have spent through this process.

The offer to buy the Bell Vista development homes, considered too dangerous to live in, also included an additional amount to reflect the emotional toll the ordeal had taken, Tauranga City Council said.

Sarsha Tyrrell says the last three months have been "exhausting" for her and her two-year-old daughter.

However, in rejecting the offer, the group of homeowners said they've been "punished" and left "homeless".

The Bella Vista owners said they were asking for a "just" and "fair" compensation offer, and the last thing they wanted was court proceedings.

They say the June 6 decision by council to make an offer to buy the Bella Vista homes was an "empty promise".

A survey of Tauranga ratepayers found 75 per cent were backing the Bella Vista residents to be offered a fair price for their homes.

In March, 21 properties in the Bella Vista subdivision were served eviction notices, saying they had to evacuate their homes as Cyclone Hola approached.


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