These reforms will save New Zealanders an estimated $8.2 billion in unnecessary costs, including $250 million right here in South Canterbury.
I’ve talked to many community groups, local building owners, and business people about the impossible costs placed on them by the old system.
For many, strengthening requirements ran into the hundreds of thousands and in some cases, millions, of dollars.
The financial uncertainty and strain left buildings sitting empty, unsaleable, and deteriorating in the heart of our towns.
Instead of making our communities safer, the rules too often created abandoned shells, a daily reminder of regulations that were out of step with reality.
The new changes will strike a balance, aimed at keeping people safe but making sure the cost of strengthening work is reasonable and achievable.
The biggest shift is removing the New Building Standard rating system. Under the old rules, even a small defect could see an entire building classified as earthquake prone.
Now, only the buildings that genuinely pose a risk to life will need strengthening.
That means focusing on higher-risk structures: unreinforced masonry facades facing public areas and concrete buildings three storeys or more in medium and high seismic zones.
For South Canterbury the difference is huge. Around 29 buildings will be removed from the earthquake prone register altogether, and 159 will remain.
Under the old rules, the estimated cost of strengthening in Timaru alone was $427m. With the new system, that drops to $205m, a saving of $222m.
That is money that can stay in our economy, supporting jobs, investment and growth.
We’re also giving councils more flexibility. They’ll be able to grant extensions of up to 15 years for any strengthening work that is still required, giving building owners time to secure funding and plan properly.
At the same time, we’re removing unnecessary costs like the rule that forced owners to upgrade fire safety and disability access at the same time as earthquake work.
These changes make the system practical without compromising on safety.
For me, this is about more than just regulations, it’s about protecting the future of our towns.
Timaru and our smaller centres all have heritage buildings, community halls and main street shops that are central to our identity.
Under the old system, too many were at risk of being boarded up or demolished.
With these changes, they have a future.
As your local MP, I’m proud that our region is one of the biggest winners from these reforms.
We’ve listened, we’ve acted, and we’re delivering real savings while keeping safety as the top priority. This is common sense in action, and it’s going to make a real difference for South Canterbury.
■ James Meager is the MP for Rangitata and can be contacted at his South Canterbury office on 03 683 2009 or at james.meagerMP@parliament.govt.nz. Follow him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JamesMeagerMP.
