By Emma Cropper
The neighbours of a Christchurch man who is building a three-storey cruiseliner in his backyard have been told there's nothing they can do to make him stop.
The Christchurch City Council says anyone can build a boat in their backyard, but the neighbours say this one's far too big.
It's not what you would expect to see among the houses in the middle of Christchurch. An eight-bedroom, four-bathroom cruiseliner under construction and tucked in a professional boat builder's backyard.
But neighbours like Ian Liversidge wonder if it's seaworthy.
"If you put that to sea it wouldn't float, would it? So it's not a boat."
But Mr Liversidge says it's imposing, even intrusive structure, is the main reason they want it gone.
"Having a property like that in a residential area, obviously there's no concern for other residents or anything."
They don't believe it'll ever see the water and say that calling it a boat is just a way to get around city council regulations.
Steve Cunard, the man who's building the boat, didn't want to appear on camera, but says he is a qualified boat builder and this has been one of his weekend hobbies. He plans to finish it within the next year, when he will crane it off his property and move it to its new home in the Bay of Islands.
A council spokesperson says anyone can legally build a boat in their backyard, but the owner should hurry up.
"We do sympathise with the community there, and Mr Cunard needs to do the right thing and get it on to water as soon as possible."
But until that happens, Mr Cunard's neighbours will be stuck with a massive eyesore every time they look out their windows.
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