Southern Heritage Trust spokeswoman Jo Galer and Dunedin city councillor Russell Lund spoke in a select committee hearing today, urging the government to abandon plans to reclassify Dunedin and coastal Otago from low-risk to a "medium seismic zone".
"The practical effect of this reclassification is to expose owners to assessments and higher compliance costs that would not apply if Dunedin remained low seismic risk," Ms Galer said.
The changes are part of the Building (Earthquake-prone Buildings) Amendment Bill, broadly intended to make seismic strengthening rules more pragmatic, less onerous and a better fit with earthquake risk.
Ms Galer, who is also a candidate in the city council by-election, said the trust backed the Bill’s intent but reclassification risked unintentionally accelerating the loss of Dunedin’s characteristic heritage buildings, rather than encouraging they be restored and repurposed.
"Developers and people in the business of knocking down buildings for carparks will have a field day, and cheap, bland shoebox apartments . . . will proliferate," she said.
"[Reclassification] risks the economic success of businesses and property owners. The risk profile for Dunedin needs to remain low to avoid this perverse outcome."
Cr Lund said the legislation would compel full retrofits of an estimated 100 buildings in Dunedin, many of which were "effectively vacant or significantly underused".
"Demolition by neglect is a very significant problem . . . there's a very large chance that we'll lose these buildings."
He was scathing of reports accompanying the Bill, including an economic analysis which was "neither professional, credible or realistic".
‘"It's unreasonable to foist the dramatic consequences of this new legislation, which is Dunedin being the only city to move from low risk to medium along with Oamaru."
Cr Lund’s written submission was co-signed by five other councillors.
The Transport and Infrastructure select committee’s report to the House is due on June 16.
