A builder got a permit for a slab. He allegedly built three-storey townhouses instead

A builder allegedly ignored council orders to stop work and illegally constructed two three-storey homes in Melbourne’s north-west without a proper permit.

The Victorian Building Authority (VBA) has filed criminal charges against Buildqa Pty Ltd and director Nicholas Artusa, alleging two townhouses and garages partially built in Attwood “went well beyond” their staged building permit for a slab.

The industry watchdog won an injunction in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday to force property owner Ihab Al Azhari – who is also a prominent pro-Palestinian activist – and the builder to down tools after a stop-work order from Hume City Council in December was allegedly ignored.

However, Al Azhari, who has not been charged over any breaches of council orders, said on Wednesday he was unaware of any earlier orders from the council regarding his $650,000 project.

“If the builder ignored, I don’t know. You can ask the builders,” he told The Age.

Al Azhari said he only discovered the problem when he asked Artusa why construction had stopped.

“Basically, he said their office thought it was a complete building permit, when it was a staged building permit. And they’ve done work a little bit out of the staged building permit,” he said.

But the two buildings on Al Azhari’s land are already three-storeys tall, with some windows fitted and brickwork completed.