Nearly 5500 more properties zoned green

All Banks Peninsula, except for 20 properties in the Church Bay and eastern Diamond Harbour area, have been rezoned from white to green, Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee announced today.

"This means these homeowners can now get on with the process of repairing or rebuilding their homes if they were damaged by the earthquakes," Mr Brownlee said.

The total of 5443 properties rezoned to green in the Banks Peninsula area includes 4359 residential and lifestyle properties, 88 commercial and industrial properties, and 996 others, which included parks and health and education facilities.

Today's announcement follows last month's announcement that 9700 properties in the Port Hills area had also been rezoned from white to green.

Mr Brownlee said the Banks Peninsula area had been rezoned green because it experienced less shaking in the earthquakes and there were no reports of area-wide land damage from residents.

"The assessment of the Banks Peninsula area included aerial surveys by helicopter, land damage assessments by geotechnical engineers Tonkin & Taylor and EQC Land Damage Assessment Teams, and feedback from the Port Hills Geotechnical Group," he said.

The 20 remaining white zoned properties in the Church Bay and eastern Diamond Harbour area still require further assessment and ground investigation work.

"There will also be some cases in the newly classified Banks Peninsula area where properties have land damage and further geotechnical assessment may be required. This will be dealt with by EQC and insurance companies under normal insurance processes," Mr Brownlee said.

"This brings the total of properties in Canterbury that have been zoned green to more than 175,000,” Mr Brownlee said.

The special Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) website www.landcheck.org.nz has been updated to reflect the new zoning. A map of the rezoned area can be viewed on the CERA website at www.cera.govt.nz

A letter from CERA will also be posted to the Banks Peninsula area homeowners with further information in the next few days.

CERA is responsible for coordinating and leading the rebuild of greater Christchurch and its surrounds and supporting the welfare of its residents.

For more information visit www.cera.govt.nz