The Building (Earthquake-prone Buildings) Amendment Act 2016 came into effect on 1 July 2017 and outlines the regulatory requirements for earthquake-prone buildings.

A new formula was established for assessing substantial alterations to earthquake-prone buildings in December 2019. Read more about the criteria.

Alterations must be completed under a building consent application. You will either need to apply for a building consent or an exemption from the need of a consent (the same form is used for both). An exemption is subject to being reviewed and approved by the Council. All building work must comply with the Building Code.

If the strengthening work is completed under the consent and a Code Compliance Certificate is applied for and issued, the building’s status can be changed and removed from the earthquake-prone building list.

If the strengthening work is completed under an exemption, a Code Compliance Certificate will not be issued. The applicant will need to submit record of works certificates and producer statements to the Council – as outlined in the exemption. Failure to provide this information means it will remain listed as an earthquake-prone building.

Waimakariri has been designated as a high-risk area due to its proximity to the Alpine Fault Line. This affects the time period for building owners with earthquake-prone buildings to remediate their building by strengthening, demolishing or a combination of both.

For priority designated buildings designated the time period is seven and a half years from the date of notification, for all other buildings it is 15 years. You will receive a notice and a plaque to display on your building where applicable.