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Landowners Asked for Feedback on Proposed Faultline Development Changes

Wednesday 20 January 2010, 9:39AM

By Hastings District Council

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HASTINGS

Hastings District Council wants to talk to property owners who have an earthquake faultline running through their land about what development can occur on or near a faultline.

The National Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences (IGNS) and Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (HBRC) have recently released maps which more accurately define the location of faultlines near urban and semi-urban areas in the Hastings District.

Group Manager: Planning and Regulatory Services John O’Shaughnessy says the Ministry for the Environment recommends councils plan to minimise the risks associated with earthquakes and allow for buffer zones around faultlines.

“Hastings District Council’s District Plan currently shows where known faultlines are (as of 1999) but has no rules around what sort of development should happen on or near to them to minimise risk during an earthquake,” Mr O’Shaughnessy says.
“Buffer-zones have been drawn around faultlines (mostly on rural properties) which have the potential to rupture the ground surface in a large earthquake, causing damage to property or risk to human life.

Council is proposing changes to the District Plan that will control what types of building can happen within a buffer-zone, varying from 60m up to 140m wide, as recommended by MfE.

This week, as part of pre-consultation, Council sent affected landowners maps of faultlines in their area and an outline of the proposed changes to the District Plan.

The proposal rates buildings into five categories of importance, with average-sized, wooden-framed homes at the lower end and larger buildings, such as halls where people gather or buildings to house hazardous substances, towards the top.

Stricter controls again are proposed for buildings intended for post disaster function such as medical centres. Existing buildings are not affected by the proposed rules.

Council is asking landowners to be part of the process in the early stages of this review, before a draft proposal is taken to Council.

Maps are publically available on www.hastingsdc.govt.nz/earthquakermu-district-plan-review or can be requested at HDC Administration Buildings, 207 Lyndon Road East.