An independent report has found multiple design and construction faults led to damage at western Sydney’s Opal Tower.

The newly-built tower in Sydney Olympic Park was evacuated on Christmas Eve after cracks were found in the building, sparking fears it could collapse.

The NSW government-commissioned report found that while the building was structurally sound overall, horizontal support beams in the building were of inferior strength and were not compliant.

The decision to only partially grout between the beams and panels added to the problem.

“A number of structural design and construction issues, including non-compliance with national codes and standards, were responsible for the observed damage at Opal Tower,” News Corp quoted the report as saying.

“We found some of the hob beams and panel assemblies were under-designed according to the National Construction Code and Australian Standards, leaving the beams prone to failure.

“We consider the building is overall structurally sound and the localised damage to the building can be rectified.”

The expert engineers’ report recommended creating databases of registered engineers and NSW building certifications, along with a building structure review board to monitor known property design flaws and shape future building codes.

About 170 Opal Tower apartments have been deemed fit for reoccupation but 224 units were still unfit earlier this month, with dozens of families still left in temporary accommodation.

The NSW minister for planning, Anthony Roberts, and the minister for better regulation, Matt Kean, are scheduled to respond to the report on Friday morning along with Professor Mark Hoffman, one of the authors of the report.