The Kāpiti Coast District Council has charged a Palmerston North man over illegal earthworks involving asbestos in Paraparaumu, which spread onto neighbouring council land.
By Justin Wong for Local Democracy Reporting
A previously public-excluded report submitted to the council’s audit and risk committee in June said Sanal Lonappan was charged under the Resource Management Act for illegal earthworks at 6A Ngahina St in Paraparaumu, as well as on nearby council land.
The charges were filed in late February.
WorkSafe had already issued two prohibition notices to Lonappan and the property’s owner, ordering all work to stop in September 2025 – two months after concerns were raised about how asbestos was being managed during demolition.
On Wednesday, a WorkSafe spokesperson said there was not believed to be any immediate risk.
“Our inspectors have visited the property multiple times to understand what work was being completed, by who, what health and safety systems were in place and how risks were being managed.
“We are in communication with Sanal Lonappan, as well as Kāpiti Coast District Council, to ensure that any asbestos on the property is safety identified and managed before we consider lifting the prohibition notice.”
In May, the Palmerston North District Court fined Lonappan $32,000 for offences under the Health and Safety at Work Act.
He ignored WorkSafe’s prohibition orders in May 2022 and kept on refurbishing an inner-city building that contained asbestos on the corner of Rangitīkei and Queen streets, including removing soffit linings – which had asbestos-filled materials – from a canopy directly above a public footpath.
The building was once the home of The Old Flame, a buffet-style restaurant that was popular in the 1980s and 1990s.
The court was told at sentencing that Lonappan removed the notices and did not respond to requests for documents and information.
WorkSafe area manager Carl Baker said there were multiple chances for Lonappan to engage and put things right, and ignoring their notices would not avoid accountability.
– LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
SHARE ME