Zoning announcement brings some relief

The long-awaited announcement of zoning will come as a huge relief to Port Hills residents who have been living in a state of limbo since February 22nd last year, says Port Hills MP Ruth Dyson.

"It is impossible to describe the level of stress that people have been living under waiting to learn the fate of their property.

“I want to pay tribute to all these people, most of whom will now be able to have their homes repaired or rebuilt and move on with their lives. The wait has been long and painful for them.

“For those who have been zoned red, the news will be met with different reactions. For some, it has been blindingly obvious since February 22nd that they could never return to their homes. The only question for them is why it has taken this long for a decision.

“For others, this is not the news they wanted to hear and there will be huge anguish about the decision. It is critical for these people that they receive the full information on which this decision has been taken so that they can understand it, even though they may disagree with it.

“For those still white zoned, frustration will be massive. They have been given dates in the past for decisions, including today that have not been met. I implore the Minister Gerry Brownlee to do everything possible to ensure they are not let down again, in terms of the next timetable being met.

“Assurances about safety, about future affordable insurance cover and about the ability of people to sell their property at the real value without any "quake risk" devaluation are important and I hope the process that has been undertaken to get to these announcements today delivers those factors for those affected.

“This is a very big day. It is one of the biggest pieces of news for people - can I continue to live in my home in the future? The wait is over for nearly everyone but the recovery is still on-going.

“It’s also good to see the level of co-ordination between CERA and the Christchurch City Council. That will be welcomed by residents.

“I thank New Zealanders who have supported us all and appreciate the recognition of just how tough this experience has been for my constituents and all Cantabrians,” said Ruth Dyson.