Businesses at the damaged Central Pier are suing Development Victoria for $100 million.Credit:Tash Sorensen
Development Victoria,the state authority responsible for the precinct,announced several weeks ago that the pier would remain closed for at least another four months.
In the statement of claim lodged on Monday,the businesses claim Development Victoria knew when it signed a lease with the tenants in mid-2015 that the pier was deteriorating"at an increasing rate,despite the repair works it was carrying out".
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They also claim Development Victoria led tenants to believe that the repairs being undertaken would mean they could continue to do business until the end of their lease in 2026,but say this claim was"misleading and deceptive".
"There are now serious questions as to whether Development Victoria’s repair works over the past two years have actually made things worse,"a spokeswoman for the Central Pier tenants said.
The spokeswoman did not say on Monday how much the tenants would be suing for,however they have previously said they would claim in excess of $100 million.
The businesses say they have spent $50 million renovating the heritage-listed site since 2007.