Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Resident determined to appeal quake zoning

Updated at 3:13 pm on 11 February 2012

A Christchurch resident says she will appeal using any grounds she can against her home in Avonside being zoned red.

On Friday, owners of 213 properties found out they will have to abandon their now red-zoned homes due to earthquake damage.

Another 42 home owners were told their homes are now in the green zone and they can begin rebuilding and making repairs.

Valerie Hall has lived with her husband in their Cowlishaw Street home for 41 years which has been designated in the red zone.

She says Friday's decision is devastating and a complete surprise.

Mrs Hall says the first step is to find out whether there are grounds for an appeal and hopes to do that at a community meeting with the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority on Monday.

"I don't want to stick my head out and be the only one - it would be too stressful for us at our ages and we do have to try and move on. But if it's possible we will do that."

Mrs Hall says a good percentage of residents on her street want to stay and they will most likely appeal against the zoning decision together.

A spokesperson for Avonside residents, Paul Watson, says a meeting to gauge who is likely to appeal will be held later next week.

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