A view to cry for! Devastated couple are left staring at a monstrous apartment block built just centimetres from their balcony months after they first complained - totally blocking out the sun and view

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A couple who were forced to move out of their apartment when a 14-storey unit block began construction just 30 centimetres from their balcony said the ongoing development has made their situation even worse as the building continues to be built. 

Darren Miller and his wife Lin were living in the apartment in Wolli Creek in Sydney's south when the building next door was erected, plunging their first-floor property into darkness.

Two months since Daily Mail Australia first wrote about their plight, Mr Miller said the construction has now completely blocked sunlight into their unit, gives them no privacy or security and is continuing to dramatically decrease the value of their property.

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Mr Miller and his wife Lin said the construction has blocked all natural light into their home and were forced to move out

Darren Miller, from Wolli Creek in Sydney said the apartment block built so close to his balcony he can touch it has crippled him and his wife financially and emotionally

The 14-storey block is going up right beside his 8 storey apartment building

In February an impassioned Facebook post by the Wolli Creek man brought the development to the attention of the council, but did not halt construction.

A town planner visited Mr Miller shortly after, who he claims told him that when the space between buildings had been measured it had not included his balcony.

'The reason why they said there was enough space is because they measure it from the sliding doors, they don't consider balconies living space,' Mr Miller told Daily Mail Australia.

This measurement means he can reach out and touch the concrete slab built at the base of the building next-door, and anyone could easily travel over the gap.

'There is no privacy, no security, and no view', Mr Miller said.

'Most certainly it will impact the value of our property - we estimate by hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Mr Miller used to have a view of the greenery and skyline from his balcony

Now he stares at a construction site which will one day be an apartment block

Although it is zoned as a high density area the buildings should not be so close together

Mr Miller is concerned about privacy, security and also the inevitable decrease in value of his apartment

'My other concern is also because it's so close that the gap is going to get filled with paper or leaves, and if a cigarette butt gets dropped down there how are you going to out a fire out?

'What if a child fell down there?', he said. 

There is a garden planned for the space parallel - which further raised concerns about privacy for Mr Miller.

He and his wife were forced to move out of the apartment and into another unit they owned in the same building earlier this year, but were left paying two mortgages as their initial apartment is in no state to be lived in or occupied by tenants.

'We luckily have another apartment and we're renting that one out, and that was covering the mortgage but now we're paying double,' Mr Miller said.

'We understand progress has to happen and it's zoned as high density but this is ridiculous.' 

‹ Slide me ›

Mr Miller used to have a clear view from his balcony (left) before construction began (right)

The couple were forced to move out of the apartment and into another unit they owned in the same building earlier this year

Their balcony can be seen here covered in paint splatters, collateral from the construction next door

Mr Miller said the mayor denied responsibility for the development, his apartment before the construction is pictured here

The council laid blame on a private certifier who approved the building as it was valued over $20 million

Mr Miller said the mayor denied responsibility for the plans, because the building was valued over $20 million it was out of the council's jurisdiction.

Rockdale Council confirmed to Daily Mail Australia the development went to the JRPP board, which consists of two council members and three state government representatives before it was approved by a private certifier.

'Where that balcony allegedly is there's supposed to be two rows either side on each building which are supposed to be 1.4 metres wide planter boxes,' a spokesman said.

'They're supposed to provide a planter box on their side s there's this natural divide', he said, adding that the boxes should act as a buffer between the two properties.

However as the building where Mr Miller lives was not built exactly to plan, this has impacted the new development and accounts for the 30 centimetre gap.