No prosecutions for Palace Hotel collapse

No prosecutions against any of the companies or individuals involved will be undertaken in relation to the collapse of the Palace Hotel in November last year.

General Counsel Wendy Brandon says the council’s legal team has worked closely with the Auckland Crown Solicitor and other technical and legal advisers to examine all of the evidence and technical information obtained from its investigations into the cause of the collapse of the Palace Hotel and to carefully consider what avenues of prosecution may be available to hold anyone accountable for the tragic loss of one of Auckland's most iconic heritage buildings.

“However, the advice Auckland Council has received is that there is not sufficient evidence as to the specific cause of the collapse to provide a reasonable prospect of a successful criminal or regulatory prosecution.”

Council is separately considering if the Palace Hotel’s collapse, which occurred during a significant renovation project, should be referred to any professional bodies for further enquiry.