Bringing back verandah posts in Wanganui's inner city may not seem such a big deal, but it's a move that has public safety at its core.
The Wanganui District Council has signalled a planned change to its district plan which would see verandah posts reinstated on commercial buildings as a permitted activity.
Jonathan Barrett, the council's principal planner, told the Chronicle the posts were the target of planners in previous councils around the time the central city traffic flows and parking zones underwent major change.
Mr Barrett said at the time the posts were seen to be interfering with parking and also a hazard to pedestrians, so the district plan was changed.
But after the Christchurch earthquakes, verandah posts are seen as key to pedestrian safety, providing protection from facades falling off buildings above them.