Media Release
1 February 2011

First technical reports completed

The first seven technical reports for those suburbs most affected by land damage from the 4 September earthquake in Canterbury have been completed and posted on the Earthquake Commission website.

"The reports will save homeowners time and money as they will be able to use them to help gain any consents necessary to undertake repair work on their properties," says EQC’s Chief Operating Officer, Lance Dixon.

“They are highly technical and designed to be used by engineers to develop detailed designs for the repair of the land,” Mr Dixon says.

The “Factual” reports have been completed for Bexley & Aranui, Brooklands, Kaiapoi South, Kaiapoi North, Kairaki & Pines Beach, Spencerville and Tai Tapu.

Factual reports are a collation of all the data collected from geotechnical investigations, such as boreholes, soil testing, and seismic surveys, in the suburbs. They will be followed by interpretative reports, that include analysis of all the data collected.

There are 20 factual reports being produced in total. The reports will be available on the EQC website as they are completed, with the last due to be completed by the end of February. (For a list of the suburb reports see below.)

"They will help deliver on the Government’s commitment to funding additional work to give greater protection to people's property should a similar earthquake happen in the future,” says Mr Dixon.

Repair to the land in these suburbs will also include smaller scale work on many properties, largely filling cracks and compaction.

“Following the geotechnical reports and further engineering work, recommendations will be made to the Government. The recommendations will include how the land remediation will be staged and how it will be integrated with the local councils’ infrastructure and private insurance companies' rebuild programmes,” Mr Dixon says.

The Government expects to be working through these recommendations in early April.

The recommendations will be used by councils to develop their detailed plans for carrying out the land remediation projects.

The Christchurch City Council and Waimakariri District Council are currently working with the Earthquake Commission on a Memorandum of Understanding to carry out the land remediation in Christchurch and Waimakariri, which is due to be completed and signed by mid-February.

To view copies of the factual reports as they are completed please visit: http://canterbury.eqc.govt.nz/publications

List of suburbs that technical reports will be completed for (in alphabetical order):
• Avondale
• Avonside
• Bexley & Aranui (completed)
• Bishopdale, Casebrook & Redwood
• Brooklands (completed)
• Burwood
• Dallington Lower
• Dallington Upper
• Fendalton & Merivale
• Halswell
• Kaiapoi South (completed)
• Kaiapoi North (completed)
• Kairaki & Pines Beach (completed)
• New Brighton
• Parklands
• Richmond
• Southshore
• Spencerville (completed)
• Tai Tapu (completed)
• Wainoni

ENDS

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