Permit possible in risk area

Press, 9 April 1977, Page 6

Permit possible in risk area

The Christchurch City Council may allow a house to be built on a section in Redcliffs prone to rockfall, partlv because it would not nave to accept legal liability if something happened to the building.

The section, at the end of Raekura Place, is at the foot of a cliff. The chairman of the council’s town-planning committee (Cr N. G. Hattaway)) shid he had inspected the site, and precautions demanded by the committee seemed reasonable.

They include providing an effective barrier to falling rocks, with the house located in front of the barrier. All existing trees would be retained. and more planting would be required to provide even more of a barrier. A safety fence capable of stopping a 40kg rock failing from 50m would be erected between the house and the foot of the cliff. Also, the section owner would be required to get

written confirmation from the Earthquake and War Damage Commission that those safe>uards were enough to msure that the commission vould provide insurance :over against landslip damige. Before a building permit vas issued, the owner would lave to confirm that adequate ockfail insurance could be irranged. Cr Vicki Buck said there vas no justification for illowing a building -to be >uilt when such a risk was nvolved. The Raekura Place subiivision was approved in 1969, onlv a year before the Earthquake and War Damage Commission told all local todies to refuse subdivision ipproval, or building permits, n areas where landslip damtge could be expected. At that time, the commission said that failure to jxercise proper care could ■nake the local authority guilty of negligence, and table to pay the cost of reoairs.