More homes now in quake red zone

6:34 am on 11 February 2012

A further 255 residential orange zone properties are being re-zoned in Christchurch.

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says 213 have been re-zoned to red, which means the properties will be subject to Government offers of purchase.

Another 42 are to be re-zoned green which means their owners can begin repairing or rebuilding.

Mr Brownlee says the zoning decisions were among the most challenging of the 10,000 flat land properties originally zoned orange, because of the complex nature of the damage, which varies from street to street.

The 213 properties zoned red are in parts of Avonside, Burwood, Dallington and Wainoni. The owners of these properties with insurance cover will be eligible for the Crown's residential red zone offer.

Mr Brownlee says some of the newly zoned properties were previously on the boundary of green and red zones.

That applies to 12 homes in Burwood, seven in Dallington and 15 in Avonside which now become part of the red zone.

Along with the 653 remaining residential properties in the orange zone, there are also 2100 white zoned residential properties in the Port Hills which need re-zoning.