Public backing for ratepayer quake levy

Christine Foley, Kingsland Business Society Manager, said demolition would be an option if costs were too high. Photo / Steven McNicholl

Public comments on Auckland Council's earthquake-prone buildings policy have called for a ratepayer-backed fund to upgrade buildings to withstand a moderate earthquake.

But the council says it has no idea how much strengthening would cost.

A report on the consultative procedure on the policy yesterday suggested an incentive package to help with the cost of upgrading heritage buildings and buildings of character.

Joshua Arbury, of the Historic Places Trust, highlighted the need for a range of incentives - not all financial.

"Many of the areas where earthquake-prone buildings are most highly concentrated are struggling suburban town centres, where costly upgrades are unlikely to be financially viable without some form of incentive."

Mr Arbury said "character" buildings in town centres such as Kingsland and Mt Eden should be treated the same as scheduled heritage ones so their chance of being upgraded and kept in use could be increased.

Christine Foley, of the Kingsland Business Society, said that if the costs of strengthening were unaffordable then demolition could be on the cards.

"If the council is genuinely interested in facilitating the living experience in urban communities, then it needs to ensure that there are incentives available to achieve this."

The society proposed the setting up of a regional heritage and earthquake protection fund through a rate levy.

"It seems appropriate that ratepayers share some of the cost as they will also be enjoying the benefits."

The fund could pay for specialist engineering assessment and issue interest-free loans to building owners for the works recommended.

The society agreed in principle to the council spending a further $1.5 million next year in assessing work needed for public buildings.

In May, the council released a preliminary "earthquake-prone register" of 393 buildings in the former Auckland City area considered likely to collapse in a moderate earthquake.

Some owners were given until 2045 to make their buildings safer.

Associate Professor Jason Ingham, of Auckland University, said the estimated cost of upgrading the country's 3867 unreinforced masonry buildings to a maximum of 67 per cent of the National Building Standards requirements is about $2 billion compared to their value of $1.5 billion.

In view of that, he said the first priority should be given to ensuring public safety by securing or removing falling hazards such as chimneys, parapets and gable ends and retrofit strengthening of masonry walls.

"The cost to do this is unknown but it would be substantially less than the amount to fully upgrade all buildings," said Dr Ingham.

Consultative procedure chairwoman Penny Webster said the council would ask the Government's Department of Building and Housing to study the costs of retrospective upgrading, because it was a national issue.

BIG JOB

393
buildings in central Auckland

3867
nationwide

$2 billion
estimated upgrade cost

$1.5
billion buildings' value