Avon River border areas zoned red

  • Gerry Brownlee
Canterbury Earthquake Recovery

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee has today announced the rezoning of 251 residential properties in Christchurch’s Central City South, Richmond South and Linwood from orange to red.

All insured residential properties in the newly red zoned areas will be subject to the Government offer of purchase.

“Despite exhaustive research into the viability of remediating damaged land and rebuilding on these areas, the case for continued occupation does not stack up.

“An engineering solution to remediate the land and replace seriously damaged infrastructure would be uncertain, disruptive, take a very long time, and is simply not cost effective,” Mr Brownlee said.

“In all the areas zoned red today there has been widespread liquefaction resulting in ground settlement as well as extensive lateral spreading towards the Avon River.

“Most houses in these areas sit on the road boundary alongside the Avon River or are close to it.

“Consultant engineers Tonkin & Taylor have advised that area-wide perimeter treatment would be required in these areas to address the risk of future lateral spreading before properties could be repaired or rebuilt.

“The recommended perimeter treatment would require intrusion into private property up to five metres from roads alongside the Avon, meaning many houses would require demolition regardless of their damage from the quakes.

“Tonkin & Taylor also advise that such works would cause substantial vibration causing further damage to already weakened properties in the vicinity.

“On that basis we’ve decided the only feasible option is to provide residents with some certainty by offering to buy their land and homes,” Mr Brownlee said.

Zoned red today are:

  • 78 properties in Central City South
  • 29 properties in Linwood
  • 144 properties in Richmond South

Today’s re-zoning also includes the reclassification of one residential property at 2 Bangor Street in Central City South from orange to green. The level of this property is significantly higher than others in the area, and Tonkin & Taylor has advised the ground conditions, land damage and level of engineering required for repair is more similar to the adjacent green zone to the west and south, than properties to the north.

Residents can confirm their re-zoning by visiting www.landcheck.org.nz or phoning 0800 RING CERA (0800 7464 2372).