Council Increases Earthquake Prone Building Assistance 

South Taranaki commercial building owners can apply for assistance to strengthen or redevelop their earthquake prone buildings following a recent Council decision to increase its Earthquake Prone Buildings Assistance Package.

South Taranaki District Council (STDC) Group Manager of Environmental Services Liam Dagg says the decision made in May this year sees the Council’s Earthquake Prone Buildings Assistance Package go from $6,000 up to a maximum of $10,000.

“Dealing with earthquake prone buildings is not cheap or easy and this package is something Council can do to help towards the cost of strengthening or redeveloping commercial property sites that have been identified as earthquake prone," says Dagg.

The assistance comes in two tranches, with up to $5,000 available when the building consent is granted and up to $5,000 when at least 50% of the physical work has been completed.

Dagg says following new earthquake prone building legislation that came into effect in July 2017, the Council must identify all earthquake - prone buildings in the District by 1 July 2027.

“Once a building has been identified as potentially earthquake prone the owner must provide the Council with a seismic assessment report from a suitably qualified seismic engineer within 12 months. If, based on that report, the building proves to be earthquake prone the owner has 12.5 years to strengthen or demolish it if it’s a priority building, or 25 years if it’s not."

Further information on earthquake prone buildings including the Council’s Assistance Package can be found on Council’s website.