The Court of Appeal has ordered a trust to repay nearly $16 million to the Invercargill City Council over the collapse of a stadium roof.
The roof, which was above the community courts at Stadium Southland, collapsed under the weight of snow in September 2010.
In 2015, the High Court found the council liable for the cost of the repairs, but the Court of Appeal did not agree.
The Court of Appeal said the council did not cause the failure.
It said the trust, which operated the stadium, had prior concerns about the roof. It had sought advice from an engineer,
who recommended a detailed inspection of the structure.
The trust did not follow the engineer’s advice.
It said the trust was told the roof’s performance, which flexed in the wind, might have a structural problem.
-RNZ
