Warehouse conversions

[jerky]

Hi Everyone,

I was chatting with a realestate agent who has a warehouse for sale. It is zoned industrial 3, without much hope of re-zoning (according to council). The agent said that many of the warehouses in this particular area are in fact inhabitted residentially without council's knowledge. I also spoke with another person recently who has done the same thing in a different area all together and even without the building owners knowledge?!?
Is this a common practice?? I am wondering because the particular warehouse I am looking at is almost designed precisely for residential - has even got bedroom written on the plans!

What implications are there of inhabiting a warehouse that has an industrial zoning? Will I get in trouble if found to be residing there?

Thanks all!!

Jerkygirl

 

[stumunro]

in short.. yes if you change to residential in an industrial zoned area and the council find out you will receive fines until you rectify.

 

[Dazz]

What implications are there of inhabiting a warehouse that has an industrial zoning? Will I get in trouble if found to be residing there?

Like everything in modern day life, there are 'rules' governing what can be done lawfully......but as you probably know by now, authorities are slow to act in most cases, and someone has to dob you in before they will react. When they do react, it's slow and cumbersome and you may get whacked with a feather duster if you've been very naughty.

Our industrial zoned Land forbids people residing on there. This didn't stop one loony we inherited as a tenant from living there in a disgusting busted caravan for 7 years.

Seriously, why would anyone (especially aa girl) wish to live in an industrial zone ?? For the same price, you could rent a swisho mansion on the waterfront somewhere for a song and get some sop of a Landlord to pay all your bills.

 

[jerky]

Thanks Stun and Daz

I was actually looking to buy this to live in...it is reasonably priced, looks fairly new and although zoned industrial, across the streeet are houses. Apparently the council won't allow the rezone to occur because CUB have a brewery nearby and we wouldn't want to upset CUB!!

I'm going to go and have a look over the next few days at different times to see what is going on in that area....if it's true that people are just living in them, perhaps one day they may consider rezoning to make it all above board.

Anyway will keep you posted

thanks,
jerkygirl

 

[Dazz]

Apparently the council won't allow the rezone to occur because CUB have a brewery nearby and we wouldn't want to upset CUB!!

OK, but to be fair to any industrial user, if you pop their hat on for just a moment, they may have been in the area for 20 or 30 years, operating quietly and efficiently, paying their rates and being a good corporate citizen then suddenly someone moves in and wants to call the surrounding area their "home"....and before you know it, they are complaining to the Council about noises, smells, trucks whizzing by and the like....affecting their 'amenity'.

I believe the Council is simply trying to head off some of these future complaints. Seems logical to me.