Changes to earthquake-prone building laws could ease the burden on local ratepayers, but Central Otago District Council (CODC) says it’s too soon to know the full impact. 

Council’s immediate focus is on what the proposed policy shift could mean for its own halls and other council-owned assets. 

Group manager for community experience David Scoones said the property team would be looking closely at the details in the coming months, with any new legislation not coming into effect until next year.

“These proposed changes could positively affect the status of some of council’s buildings and the strengthening work currently planned,” David said. 

“In the meantime, our team will be working alongside hall committees and groups to investigate what the implications might be for council-owned earthquake-prone buildings and will share updates with community boards and councillors as information becomes available.” 

He said no earthquake-strengthening projects are scheduled for this financial year, although some work is programmed for 2026/27. 

“That programme might need to be reviewed for the Annual Plan in light of the proposed changes,” he said.

A $45.8M replacement for the earthquake prone Cromwell Memorial Hall is under construction on Melmore Terrace beside Lake Dunstan.

The government earlier this week announced a revamp of the earthquake-prone building (EPB) system, saying it would focus requirements on only those buildings that pose a genuine risk to life in medium and high-seismic zones. 

Building and construction minister Chris Penk said the current system had placed “an overwhelming financial burden” on owners, leaving many buildings vacant and derelict. 

“Cities and regions are losing the businesses, churches, town halls and classrooms that are central to their local economies and community spirit,” he said. 

“I am announcing a change to a fairer, risk-based system that will bring enormous relief by lowering costs for building owners, while keeping Kiwis safe.” 

Under the proposal, concrete buildings three storeys or higher and unreinforced masonry structures in medium to high-risk zones would remain in the regime. 

In small towns with fewer than 10,000 residents, unreinforced masonry buildings under three storeys would no longer require full remediation or warning notices, although façades would still need to be secured before the building could be taken off the EPB register. 

“This change recognises that the risk of a façade falling on a pedestrian is simply lower in communities with fewer than 10,000 residents than it is in larger urban centres, because there are fewer people on the streets,” the minister said. 

The government will also drop the rule that owners must upgrade fire safety and disability access at the same time as seismic work, and councils will be able to extend remediation deadlines by up to 15 years. 

Local Government New Zealand said the changes should reduce the financial strain on owners and help bring life back to many regional centres. 

On its website, CODC lists 17 buildings as earthquake-prone, including Alexandra Community Centre, Tarras Memorial Hall, Patearoa Hall, Naseby General Store, Molyneux Stadium, and the Poolburn–Moa Creek Hall. 

Some of these buildings were scrutinised in this year’s Long-Term Plan review of council assets, which led the council to divest several of them, influenced in part by the earthquake-strengthening costs identified at the time. 

Others have been upgraded to reduce risk - for example, McNulty House in Cromwell has undergone reconstruction work - while the Cromwell Memorial Hall was demolished and is being replaced by a $45.8 million facility now under construction on Melmore Terrace. 

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