Airedale Courts residents accept offer of new homes

Christchurch City Council has now offered alternative homes to all 10 Airedale Courts residents, whose block of units was closed this week following further engineering investigations.

The Council closed the block of 24 units at 51-57 Salisbury Street, 10 of which were occupied, on Monday after engineers revised a quantitative Detailed Engineering Evaluation (DEE) assessment received by the Council in July. After carrying out further investigations, engineers revised the block’s seismic capacity from 36 percent of the New Building Standard (NBS) to 15-25 percent of the NBS, which means it is earthquake-prone.

The 10 affected residents have now all accepted the Council’s offer of alternative homes in Council-owned social housing complexes across the city and will move before their notice period expires on Monday 1 October. Under the requirements of the Residential Tenancies Act (Section 59), the Council gave residents seven days’ notice because, due to the risk of future earthquakes, their homes are now deemed uninhabitable.

Since the closure was announced on Monday, Council staff have been working with affected tenants to look at re-housing options. Residents will be given assistance to move their belongings if they need it.

Council Community Services General Manager Michael Aitken says the Council has appreciated residents’ understanding during this time. “This has been a difficult and disruptive time for tenants but we are pleased to be able to offer them the reassurance that they will be able to move into other units before their notice period expires at Airedale Courts.”

All six other blocks in the Airedale Courts complex have been assessed as having a seismic capacity of at least 34 percent of the NBS and are not earthquake-prone. While some units in these blocks remain closed due to earthquake damage, those that are currently occupied by residents can therefore remain open.

For more information about the Council’s Detailed Engineering Evaluations, which are being carried out as part of its Facilities Rebuild Plan project, visit www.ccc.govt.nz/facilitiesrebuild. A copy of the Detailed Engineering Evaluation report for the entire Airedale Courts complex is also available here.