September 17th, 2024
Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk announced today that the New Zealand Government is moving up its review of the earthquake-prone building system, originally set for 2027, to begin immediately. This decision comes with an additional four-year extension for the remediation of identified buildings. This policy adjustment aims at mitigating economic impacts on cities and towns, ensuring safety, and facilitating business operations.
The 2017 system currently mandates remediation of buildings considered earthquake-prone by specific deadlines, with nearly 500 deadlines looming in the next four years. Many buildings, however, are at risk of not meeting these deadlines due to financial, regulatory, and structural challenges. The anticipated review and deadline extensions are responses to these complexities, aiming to prevent significant economic downturns, especially in critical areas like Wellington.
"Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy... The current earthquake-prone building system... requires buildings considered to be earthquake-prone to be remediated before set dates," Penk said. He highlighted the potential economic fallout from unmet deadlines and the government's commitment to creating a more feasible regulatory environment for building owners and businesses.
The Government's work on the review begins immediately, with Cabinet set to agree on the terms of reference next month. The extension to remediation deadlines will be retroactively applied from 2 April 2024, except for buildings already past their deadlines. This move will necessitate amendments to the Building Act 2004, aiming for passage before the end of 2024.