Couple forced to move from their apartment after council approves construction of 14-storey tower less than 30cm from their balcony.

On the upside at least they won’t have to go far to borrow a cup of sugar…

Take a look at this.

Two buildings side by side, one being built no more than 30 centimetres away from the balcony of the other – so close the residents can reach out and touch each other, if they, you know, became neighbourly.

The residents in the already constructed eight-storey apartment block say they have been gobsmacked to see the residential tower being constructed next door only an arm’s length away.

“We submitted against it as many did,” owner of a first floor apartment Darren Miller wrote on Facebook “but in the end it was decided it was good for the area apparently.”

The 14-storey tower in the Sydney suburb of Wolli Creek is being constructed less than 30 centimetres from the balcony of a first-floor apartment, all with the blessing of the local Council and local planning authorities.

Fairfax Media has revealed that one apartment owner, Darren Miller has been forced to move out from his home of several years due to the construction.

“My wife’s from Shanghai,” he told Fairfax Media. “We’ve been to Shanghai many times, and even she says there’s no way that this would be approved in Shanghai.”

The Sydney Morning Herald writes that the recently constructed slab for a new garden for his future neighbours is almost level with Mr Miller’s balcony railing, while the garden is to be screened behind a 1.4-metre privacy wall it does nothing for Mr Miller’s prospects, cutting off his apartment’s only source of natural light.

“We were shocked,” he said. “We couldn’t believe it.”

Mr Miller took to Facebook to show a local community group the construction.

“This in not Hong Kong or another super populated city. This is Wolli Creek. This is the corner of Innesdale Rd and Levey St.” he wrote.

“How did this get approved? Multiple submission were put in against the development, but as you know, we cant stop progress (if you call it that)”

“Be warned dont buy anywhere in this area, your investment is not safe. This can happen to you.”

“I appeal to the Rockdale Council to come and inspect this and provide an explanation about how this is legal, moral and good for the suburb.

It’s totally disgusting. I don’t even see buildings this close together in the CBD. This is ridiculous,”

He said the developers even tied wires onto his balcony railing to help support their scaffolding.

Fairfax Media reports that Rockdale Council identified issues with “adequate building separation and setbacks” in the months before the $20 million development application for the Levey Street site was lodged in 2013.

But council told Fairfax Media that these issues were unrelated to the development podium adjacent to Mr Miller’s balcony.

The council still recommended the building be approved, despite living spaces of the two properties being as close as 8.5 metres apart. There is a minimum of 12 metres separation required by planning and building design codes.

“This separation is considered acceptable given it is limited to four storeys and of limited length, the location of openings and nature of the rooms opposite each other, “ the report said.

The council told Fairfax Media the concerns identified in its report did not relate to the development podium immediately adjoining Mr Miller’s balcony, an area that would be screened “to create a whole new private environment.”

The local council has even found a way to turn the blame to Mr Miler’s building saying that a permanent 1.2-metre planter and screen planting that were supposed to have been built along Mr Miller’s balcony when his apartment block was completed in 2012 “have not been constructed in accordance with the approved plans.”

“Council will be investigating this matter with the Private Certifier for Mr Miller’s building, as the inclusion of this planter and appropriate planting combined with the planter and screen planting of the adjoining building is required to meet approved development conditions.”

Mr Miller has warned others it could happen to them.

He has appealed to Rockdale Council to inspect his building and “provide an explanation about how this is legal, moral and good for the suburb” but they have so far declined.