Serious decisions, with major implications for how Dunedin plans and redevelops the city, will need to be made as a result of the hazard information now available to planners, Otago Regional Council chairman Stephen Woodhead says.
The regional council has provided the Dunedin City Council with a range of reports around the hazards faced by the city which it hopes the city council will use in developing its long-term district plan.
They included reports on hazards facing coastal areas, flooding on the Taieri and the city's urban streams, significance of landslips and assessment of liquefaction hazards.
The liquefaction report was an ''eye-opener'' and ''reality check'', given the amount of infrastructure and homes in the affected areas, he said.
''It is a wake-up call.''
The regional council was not just handing the information over; ''we're holding hands, working together with councils''.
''The next stage is a crucial one. We need to ensure they do not sit on a shelf somewhere but are used to work with the city and community to plan sensibly for the future.''
Cr Gretchen Robertson said the level of risk shown in the reports would be a surprise to many, especially those in South Dunedin.
''The issue is right now. There will be areas of the community who have not thought about this before. The level of risk is quite high.''
The report on the liquefaction risk in the city highlighted, that like Christchurch, Dunedin had no idea where other fault lines might be, Cr Michael Deaker said.
''The Taieri Plain has the same substructure as the Canterbury Plains, so there is no cause for complacency.''
The regional council would be taking part in Dunedin City Council roadshows to provide specialist knowledge and comment on the risks.
