New Bill Extends Earthquake-Prone Building Remediation Deadlines by 4 Years
- The Government has extended the deadlines for earthquake-prone building remediation by four years.
- The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) will provide guidance to territorial authorities and building owners.
- This can be applied if needed by 2 April 2028 for both recently identified earthquake-prone buildings and those receiving the four-year extension.
Earthquake-Prone Building Legislation Update
Table of Contents
Published: 22 November 2024
Key Changes to Remediation Deadlines
The Government has extended the deadlines for earthquake-prone building remediation by four years. This extension offers clarity and certainty to building owners and territorial authorities during the review of seismic risk management.
Benefits of the Extension
- Temporary Relief: The additional time helps territorial authorities manage compliance challenges, especially those with many upcoming deadlines.
- Automatic Application: The extension applies to all earthquake-prone buildings with deadlines not expired before 2 April 2024.
- Action Required: Territorial authorities must re-issue notices for earthquake-prone buildings and update the earthquake-prone building register (EPB Register).
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) will provide guidance to territorial authorities and building owners. This information will be available on the Building Performance website, along with a planned webinar for EPB Register updates.
Additional Deadline Extensions
The Bill allows for a one-off extension of up to two years. This can be applied if needed by 2 April 2028 for both recently identified earthquake-prone buildings and those receiving the four-year extension.
Other Amendments
Several minor changes were also passed:
- Building Levy Payments: Stand-alone building consent authorities must pay the building levy directly to MBIE instead of through territorial authorities.
- Dam Compliance Certificates: Dam owners no longer need to display compliance certificates on-site but must send them to the relevant regional authority.
- Exempt Pools: Small heated pools with safety covers meeting the Building Code requirements are exempt from periodic inspection.
- Certificate of Acceptance: If a territorial authority issues a certificate of acceptance for building work, no additional building consent is necessary.
These changes aim to streamline processes and clarify responsibilities in the building sector.