By 3 News online staff
Three-quarters of Port Hills properties in limbo since the quake have been zoned green this afternoon.
Earthquake Minister Gerry Brownlee announced the zoning decisions for the last remaining white zone area in Christchurch today.
For 1107 property owners it was good news – with their houses declared safe and the owners able to begin talks with CERA and insurance companies about repairs.
Of the remaining properties, two-hundred-and-eighty-five will go red and 166 needed further assessment.
“The type of damage that has occurred in the Port Hills is in no way similar to the damage that has occurred on the flat lands,” says Mr Brownlee.
“So these decisions have been pretty difficult.”
Mr Brownlee has asked for more time to make decisions on the remaining homes, but expects most will know their fate by August 17.
He says the decisions are important not only for the city of Christchurch and the individual residents involved, but also for the possibility of precedent being set across the country.
Mr Brownlee also says he will look at reviewing the Government’s earthquake accommodation assistance following today’s announcement.
The assistance is due to expire in February next year but Mr Brownlee acknowledges that those people only red-zoned today may require further assistance.
Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker says he is pleased with the clarity that has been given to many people by today’s announcement.
“A huge number of people have been in an invidious situation,” he says.
“The last few weeks have been very pressurized and difficult.”
Mr Parker addressed the complex situation involving the different safety notices issued by the council and CERA.
Section 124 notices, which have been issued by the council, are notices put on properties deemed to be uninhabitable.
This is either because of geotechnical issues or structural issues inherent in the buildings themselves.
But Mr Parker says in some cases these have now been overruled.
“For those people in the white zone that have now been given a CERA zoning, essentially that zoning overrides the Section 124s,” he says.
“We’ll be contacting those owners ourselves to ensure they understand exactly what that means.”
Mr Parker described this part of the zoning decision process as the “most complicated thing” he’s been involved in around the earthquakes.
3 News