The Dunedin City Council has stepped in to remove a pile of old vehicles from a Mornington property after the owner failed to move enough of the wrecks on time.
The council hired contractors to remove cars from the Renfrew St property yesterday, with an Environment Court order giving it the power to recover the cost from owner Kevin Osborne.
The order said recovering costs could include forcing Mr Osborne to sell his property to pay for the removal.
The court earlier declared the 16 vehicles on the property were highly visible from both public and private spaces and those visual effects were "offensive and objectionable to such an extent that they have an adverse effect on the local environment''.
Council senior planner Kirstyn Lindsay said the council hired contractors to remove the vehicles after Mr Osborne failed to meet the deadline included in the order, which required him to remove 11 of the vehicles by November 10 and a further six by March 12.
The council had received quotes for the cost of the removal, but Ms Lindsay would not reveal what they were.
Earlier this month, Ms Lindsay said it would be a better outcome if Mr Osborne moved the cars himself before the council needed to step in.
"If, before we step in, he can get as much off the site as he possibly can, that's fantastic; a much better solution for everybody involved.''
It was a difficult situation for the council.
"We feel for the neighbours who have to look at [the vehicles] but we also feel for him. He's got a great attachment to these cars. And we're really stuck in the middle.''
Mr Osborne was not at the property when the Otago Daily Times visited yesterday.
