Building sites across Armidale and Tamworth have come through a state government compliance blitz with only a handful of fines, as regulators declared themselves impressed with the region’s standards.
The Minns Labor Government says it remains focused on improving building standards, with Building Commission NSW’s most recent inspection blitz targeting sites across Port Macquarie and New England. More than 150 site inspections were completed across both regions during the July visits, resulting in 25 fines with a combined value of $17,600.
Visits to regional areas are an important part of the regulator’s work, combining compliance inspections with educational campaigns to lift standards, support local tradespeople and better protect consumers.
Building Commission NSW visited 32 Class 1 residential building sites across Armidale, Calala, East Tamworth, Kootingal, Moore Creek and North Tamworth in July, as part of the wider blitz that also covered Port Macquarie, Forster and Nelson Bay.
The New England inspections resulted in four fines totalling $2,750, two for failing to display required signage and two for unlicensed work.
Building Commission NSW said it was very pleased with the high levels of compliance observed across the region.
Minister for Building Anoulack Chanthivong said the results reflected well on local builders and tradespeople.
“It’s fantastic to see the Port Macquarie and New England communities engaging with Building Commission NSW to deliver high-quality homes in the region,” Mr Chanthivong said.
NSW Building Commissioner James Sherrard said the inspections were about giving residents confidence, no matter where they were building.
“Whether they’re buying a home in Sydney or the regions, residents deserve the confidence of knowing they can move in from day one without worrying about defects that shouldn’t be there,” Mr Sherrard said.
“Where non-compliant work is detected, our inspectors will be issuing fines and orders to ensure these problems are rectified.
“Beyond compliance, these inspections give our team an opportunity to connect with local tradespeople and understand unique challenges and issues affecting them.”
Since establishing Building Commission NSW as the dedicated regulator in 2023, the NSW Government has prioritised raising standards and boosting confidence across the home building industry, as part of the Minns Labor Government’s broader plan to build more high-quality homes for the people of NSW.
Further inspections will be conducted across the region before the end of the year, giving locals confidence that new homes are being built safely and to the highest quality.
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