Renovation of Jamie Durie’s six-storey seafront mansion has been halted due to very upset neighbours.
The 54-year-old celebrity landscaper is currently working on his six-storey property in Avalon Beach on Sydney’s northern beaches, with construction expected to be completed in the coming weeks.
But it now says a crane at the site will not be removed until after Christmas, revealing a pair of rare birds have built a giant nest on top of it.
During an appearance on Channel Seven’s The Morning Show on Wednesday, Jamie He said the birds have laid two eggs that are about to hatch at any moment.
“The whole neighborhood is talking about this,” she told hosts Kylie Gillies and Matt Doran.
‘It’s a very difficult site where we are building a house and of course we had to build a crane to lift all the products and so on.’
The camera then switched to a live feed of an osprey nesting on the crane.
“This is a live stream of Ozzie and Odette, our little osprey couple, as my kids have named them,” Jamie said.
Renovation of Jamie Durie’s six-storey seafront mansion has been halted due to very upset neighbours
“There are two eggs under her right now, and they’re about to hatch this week… That’s on top of my crane at my house.”
The hosts were shocked and Kylie suggested that Jamie “should have packed the tow truck by now.”
“Well, the house will be finished in four weeks, but the crane has to stay until after Christmas,” Jamie exclaimed.
“Who’s footing the bill?” Kylie asked, to which the TV star replied: “Me, of course.”
“It’s like we’re pushing their habitat out to create our own… We’re learning to live in harmony,” he added.
The renowned landscaper is currently working on his six-storey property in Avalon Beach, located on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, with construction expected to be completed in the coming weeks.
But it now says a crane at the site will not be removed until after Christmas, revealing that a pair of rare birds have built a giant nest on top of it.
Construction is just four weeks away from completion on the stunning location, a year after Durie successfully got his proposal to build a $2.7 million home approved.
The multi-level cliff-top property is covered in scaffolding and some walls of the house have been erected.
The landscaping guru received approval from Northern Beaches Council for his development application (DA) for the beachfront property in April last year, despite receiving more than 50 objections from angry locals.
His plans to tear down a 1960s cabin and replace it with a sprawling six-story mansion for his family were first met with opposition from neighbors, who objected to the removal of 17 native trees.
The neighbors then discussed whether the construction of the house would affect the ecosystem of a local colony of micro bats.
The horticulturist said that in his 25 years working in the industry, trying to push through his renovation plans was the biggest challenge he faced.
“I can tell you right now that if you want to file a lawsuit with the Avalon District Attorney, it will be the most terrible thing you’ve ever done in your life,” Durie said. The Daily Telegraph At the moment.
“I’ve spoken to about 20 to 30 people over the last six months who have decided not to apply because of the circus this has created.”
Community members were also unhappy with Durie’s plans because they felt the home would not fit in with the style of the area.
“It’s a huge overdevelopment at this location given the nature of the area and the adjacent properties,” one person told the council.
Durie previously said 1,518 native and endemic species will be planted on and around the property.
“We have fixed the problem and I have sent a letter to all the residents and the council explaining what is happening and I hope they will see our new plans,” she told Today Extra in 2021.
Construction is just four weeks away from completion at the stunning location, a year after Durie successfully got his construction proposal approved. He is pictured here with his fiancée Ameka Jane
“I hear you loud and clear and I assure you that we will plant many plants in the ground.”
Resident John Sheehan, a former acting judge at the Land and Environment Court, called the proposal “fatally flawed” and said he was concerned it could have “serious and irreversible impacts on biodiversity values”.
Another resident said the proposed home was at odds with the surrounding homes, which respect the topography and vegetation of their sites.
“This is a significant overdevelopment at this location, given the character of the area and the adjacent properties,” they said in their submission.
‘An architect must redesign it to reduce its coverage, retain all important trees, move it away from the coast to stay within the shoreline building line, and reduce its excessive size.’
Another expressed grave concern that the project would set an alarming precedent for future development in the area if approved.
Once completed, the property will be Durie’s new family home with his fiancée Ameka Jane, three-year-old daughter Beau and one-year-old son Nash.
Local conservation and heritage bodies also opposed the development with concerns it is out of the ordinary for the area, will threaten wildlife and would “overwhelm their environmentally sensitive block”.
Pittwater Natural Heritage Association said the initial proposal would have a detrimental effect on wildlife movement in the surrounding area and does not reflect the ecological and aesthetic values of the area.
“Council should take into consideration the cumulative effect that developments such as this would have on the canopy trees that are fundamental to the character of the Avalon area,” they said in their submission.
“If this and similar developments are allowed to continue, over time the tree cover that gives Avalon its character will disappear.”
The Avalon Preservation Association added: “The current trend of proposing very large housing on environmentally sensitive blocks and consequently destroying much of the block’s native vegetation, while a small effect taken individually, constitutes ‘death by a thousand cuts’ when taken as the new norm.”
Once completed, the property will be Durie’s new family home with his fiancée Ameka Jane, three-year-old daughter Beau and one-year-old son Nash.