Second Quake Meeting for Building Owners

Strong interest from building owners has prompted the scheduling of a second public meeting in Wellington about earthquake-strengthening issues.

In April more than 100 people crowded in to a meeting, organised by the Inner City Association and the City Council, to discuss a wide range of issues relating to quake-strengthening.

Councillor Iona Pannett, the City Council's Built Environment Portfolio Leader, says there was a strong call at the April meeting for more information and answers for building owners, particularly in the technical, insurance and financial areas.

So the next meeting is a panel of technical experts scheduled for Wednesday 20 June.

Time:     5.45pm for 6 - 7.30 pm
Venue:   CQ Hotel, 213-223 Cuba Street.

At this stage speakers include:

• Stuart Palmer (Tonkin & Taylor) on geotechnical issues
• Adam Thornton (Dunning Thornton) and Jon Devine (Spencer Holmes) on engineering issues
• Zac Athfield (Athfield Architects) and Guy Marriage (Victoria University School of Architecture) on architectural issues.

 

Senior City Council staff will also be at the meeting.

Inner City Association spokesman Gus Charteris says building and apartment owners are understandably concerned about the challenges of strengthening earthquake-prone buildings.

"They're also concerned about heritage status, skyrocketing insurance costs and the challenge to retain tenants."

Cr Pannett says further meetings will be planned on the basis of demand from owners, particularly after, as is expected, the Royal Commission into the Christchurch Earthquake reports back at the end of June.