Wendy Helen Edwards previously pleaded guilty to three offences related to building a fire bunker on her southern Tasmanian property without approval.
Wendy Helen Edwards previously pleaded guilty to carrying out building work without a valid permit, performing work in a bushfire-prone area and failure to comply with a building order. But, Magistrate McKee said Edwards received subsequent advice it would become "a death trap" in the event of a fire, causing her to determine that she needed to find "other options to provide protection to and anyone else that may be present at the property in the event become trapped".
A building notice was served to Edwards by the Kingborough Council in 2020 with certain requirements. He said he agreed with the council's position that, while it lacked proper approval, the shelter "poses a risk to any person who may utilise it".