Roger Sutton- Land zoning | Canterbury Opinion | Local Voices from Canterbury, New Zealand

Residential land zone decisions took another big step last week with the rezoning of a further 255 properties and the announcement of a timeframe for zoning decisions for white-zoned Port Hills properties.

In Wainoni 42 properties were rezoned green and 213 properties in Avonside, Wainoni, Burwood and Dallington were rezoned red, bringing the total properties zoned red across greater Christchurch to 6753.

Of more than 10,000 properties zoned orange when zones were first announced in June last year, 653 properties are still in the orange zone. CERA continues to work hard to get those properties in Southshore, Richmond, Linwood and the Central City rezoned as soon as possible. This is an absolute priority.

The reality is this work is demanding, detailed and difficult. We are extremely conscious of the impact of these decisions on people's lives, and also that people need and want these decisions to move on with their lives. We are also conscious that decisions need to be well-informed, well-considered and robust.

The properties that remain in the orange zone are the hardest to rezone, and in many cases face several land damage issues.

The same applies in the Port Hills, where 2100 properties remain in the white zone. These properties face a multitude of issues rock fall, landslip and cliff collapse, and land inundation.

At the same time as the recent orange zone land decisions, a timeframe was announced for rezoning of the Port Hills white zone. Geotechnical assessment in the Port Hills is very different to flat areas, and the Christchurch City Council and CERA have different responsibilities.

The council remains responsible for lifelines and parks and the Building Act section124 notices. To date a total of 530 notices have been issued out of the remaining 2100 properties in the white zone. This has the effect of restricting access to properties by their owners, due to concerns about life safety.

The council has commissioned reports on cliff collapse and landslip risk which are due to be completed in draft by the end of February. Ground-truthing of the rock fall work by GNS is on schedule to be completed by the end of March. Meanwhile, CERA has commissioned a 3D rock fall study to be completed by the end of April. This study is the most detailed of its type conducted so far anywhere in New Zealand.

All of this work is necessary to properly inform us in rezoning decisions for the white zone and we hope such decisions - ie in the white zone - can be made by the end of May.

* Roger Sutton is chief executive of the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority.