Building permit rule review

Press, 15 November 1984, Page 4

Building permit rule review

Wellington reporter An examination of the legislation governing the granting of building permits on land prone to flooding, subsidence, slippage, or erosion has been set up by the Government. This has been announced by the Minister of Local Government, Dr Bassett, and the Minister of Works and Development, Mr Colman. . After the Southland floods earlier this year, the provisions of the legislation have come under Government scrutiny. There have been assertions from some groups that the provisions are still too restrictive while. others argue that they are not restrictive enough. Dr Bassett said that as enacted in 1979 ?fter the* Abbotsford landslip, it re-”

quired a local council to refuse a building permit in areas of natural hazard unless the council was satisfied that adequate provision had been made for the prevention of damage to the land. After complaints that the law was too restrictive, amendments had been made in 1981 to allow for alterations to existing buildings and for the erection of relocatable buildings in certain cases. A group representing central and local government, as well as engineering and planning interests, would meet tomorrow to discuss the whole issue, he said. After the meeting, a discussion document would be circulated seeking further . comments from interested groups before any final con- ■ sideration- by the Govern-, ment.