Nearly 240 more properties red-zoned

8:51 pm on 5 December 2013

Nearly 240 more Christchurch properties are to be red-zoned as a result of a government review of Port Hills land.

The findings of the review, first promised more than a year ago, were announced by Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee in Christchurch on Thursday afternoon.

Some 237 properties are moved from the green zone to the red zone, meaning they are not safe to live in, and 33 from red to green.

On Tuesday, the Court of Appeal cleared the way for the announcement when it ruled that the creation of the red zone for the most dangerous parts of greater Christchurch had been lawful.

Mr Brownlee said he is aware it has been a long and frustrating wait - but some of the delay has been out of the Government's control - and the review gives owners certainty and options for people to move from the area.

One Port Hills resident said on Thursday he had no intention of taking up the Government's buyout offer, despite his property being red-zoned.

Tony Koller's home in Charteris Bay was previously in the green zone, but now is red because of a risk of rockfall.

Mr Koller thinks the Government should work to mitigate the risk rather than condemn the land.

He said the rocks are endangering the land and road below and engineers have told him they can make the land safe.