CHANGES COULD BE COMING

15,000 to 25,000 large buildings to be earthquake strengthened in the next 15 to 20 years. These included shops, large residential dwellings and workplaces.

The Canterbury Earthquake Royal Commission recommended amending the Building Act to ignore accessibility upgrade requirements on earthquake-prone buildings because the cost may put some owners off earthquake strengthening.

The recommendation was generally supported by submitters to the Ministry of Building, Innovation and Employment. The bill now proposes to grant building consents on earthquake-prone buildings without requiring other upgrades for disability access.