Building owner faces fine

The prosecution of a Hutt building owner for failing to finish earthquake-strengthening work may be the first, but it won’t be the last.

Experts say the prosecution, carrying a maximum fine of $200,000, could be treated as a dummy run as dozens of Wellington and Hutt buildings approach the deadline for strengthening.

Hutt City Council has taken action against Lower Hutt company Alura for failing to complete the work on its Jackson St, Petone, building.

The council is reportedly already looking at further prosecutions in Petone, including against WelTec, which owns an earthquake-prone courthouse.

Structural engineer Peter Smith, who is also ex-president of the New Zealand Society of Earthquake Engineering, said there had never been a situation when a deadline had run out.

‘‘All the earthquake-prone legislation is based out in the future, often the deadlines were 10, 15 or 25 years from when the building was classified earthquake prone.’’

Legislation mandating the securing of masonry facades in high-pedestrian areas around Wellington imposed after the November 2016 earthquake had far more restricted timeframes for affected buildings.

‘‘This is a real forerunner of the issues territorial authorities face if owners haven’t strengthened buildings by the deadlines,’’ Smith said.