Earthquake prone buildings

Have your say on our preferred options

In 2017, the Building (Earthquake-Prone Buildings) Amendment Act 2016 took effect. This legislation ensures the way our buildings are managed for future earthquakes is consistent across the country. It also provides more information for people using buildings, such as notices on earthquake-prone buildings and a national public register.

The new system for managing earthquake-prone buildings aims to strike a balance between protecting people from harm in an earthquake, managing the costs of strengthening or removing buildings, and any impact on heritage.

Stratford District Council (SDC) owns four buildings which have been assessed as earthquake-prone under this Act. These are the War Memorial Centre, TET Multi-Sport Centre, Glockenspiel Clock Tower and the TSB Pool Complex.

By law, these buildings will need to be fixed by 2048 if we want to continue using them after that date. Until then, they can continue to be used like they are now, but you’ll see an Earthquake Prone Building (EPB) notice attached to them, alerting users to the risk associated with entering.

While we would love to have all of our buildings earthquake strengthened as soon as possible, the financial realities make this a difficult goal to achieve. We’ve provided our preferred plan of action in our Consultation Document for the draft LTP, and alternative options that were considered.

If nothing is done to these buildings by 2048, the District Court can order Council to demolish them.

Read all the details on our preferred plan and alternative options in the Consultation Document and have your say by 1 May.