The New Zealand government has announced changes to the system for managing earthquake-prone buildings.

As part of the change, owners of buildings in small towns undertaking modest building work will no longer be required to start seismic strengthening work at the same time. This means an alteration, other than seismic work, will be considered substantial if it needs a building consent. Also, together with other work consented in the last two years, it needs to have an estimated value of at least 25% of the building’s value, but only if the value of the building work is greater than $150,000.

In a recent event in Fielding, Minister for Building and Construction Jenny Salesa told industry representatives and members the previous policy on earthquake-prone buildings was having a disproportionate impact on provincial and small towns, due to many buildings having a low building value in those areas.

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“This is discouraging modest and progressive building work from being undertaken in these areas,” Salesa noted. “The new regulations will allow modest building work to be done to an EPB, such as altering a kitchen, or fitting the place out for a tenancy, without triggering the requirement to carry out strengthening work immediately.

“This reduces stress for building owners, while still maintaining the integrity of the EPB system,” the minister added.