‘Get this right’: Govt updates assessments of cyclone-affected properties

The Government has announced three categories under which affected properties will be assessed. Photo NZME

Cyclone Recovery Minister Grant Robertson has outlined the three categories of property in areas affected by Cyclone Gabrielles’s severe weather events.

“In March I asked the Cyclone Taskforce to work with insurance companies and local councils to build a picture of high-risk areas following Cyclone Gabrielle and January floods. That work has been progressing well, but is more advanced in some regions than others,” Robertson said

“We recognise the need to provide certainty as soon as possible to individuals in affected areas. There’s no one size fits all approach - each area is unique and influenced by a number of different factors which is why we are taking the time to get this right.”

Three categories have been settled on under which the future of flood and landslide affected properties will be assessed:

The first is a Low Risk category - where repair to previous state is all that is required to manage future severe weather event risk. This means that once any flood protection near the property is repaired, the home can be rebuilt at the same site.

Secondly, Managed Risk – community or property-level interventions will manage future severe weather event risk. This could include the raising of nearby stop banks, improving drainage or raising the property. (The category two is split into three sub-categories as outlined in table below)

And lastly High Risk – areas in the high risk category are not safe to live in because of the unacceptable risk of future flooding and loss of life. Homes in these areas should not be rebuilt on their current sites.

“Communities will be consulted before any final decisions are made about which category properties are placed into. Those discussions will begin as soon as assessments are completed and quality assurance is done,” Robertson said.

“The Government’s intention is to complete assessments for low risk properties in Category One quickly so people in those homes can settle with their insurance companies and get on with their recovery. Decisions on properties in Categories Two and Three will take a bit longer – but will be completed as soon as they are possible.

“We know it is stressful for residents waiting to hear about the future of their properties and I want to assure people we are doing all we can to move through this process as quickly and effectively as we can.

“The worse thing would be for us to announce a property or community was in one category, only to change that shortly thereafter. We need to make the right decision not the quick one.”