Waiapu Cathedral bell tower out of bounds after new earthquake assessment

The Waiapu Cathedral bell tower has been closed after a fresh earthquake assessment. Photo / Warren Buckland

Access to the bell tower of the Waiapu Cathedral has been closed after an independent seismic report laid bare its earthquake risk.

The Waiapu Board of Diocesan Trustees, owner of Napier’s Waiapu Cathedral, shared the latest independent seismic report with the cathedral community and Napier City Council on Monday.

It has been known that the Waiapu Cathedral bell tower is earthquake-prone, but a fresh risk assessment of the cathedral was completed recently to understand how the building measures up against the latest building standards.

Rt Reverend Andrew Hedge, Bishop of Waiapu, said the building’s overall rating was 20 per cent of new-build standard, reflecting the low rating of the bell tower and the nave (each 20 per cent).

“The remaining parts of the cathedral have been assessed at between 25 per cent and 40 per cent of new-build standard; compared 34 per cent required by the Building Act.”

According to MBIE’s guidelines on seismic assessments, while a low rating indicates a heightened life safety risk in the event of an earthquake, it does not mean the building is imminently dangerous.

Since the first assessment in 2013, the parish has taken a number of precautionary health and safety measures to limit capacity in the nave (main body of the cathedral) and restrict access to the bell tower.

Some areas of the cathedral are above required standards, but the board is working to understand the risks of keeping it open. Photo / Paul Taylor

“In light of the most recent report, staff will be moved from the bell tower to other parts of the building and, for the time being, we will be closing the bell tower,” Hedge said.

“We are now [waiting for] Napier City Council to advise us of their requirements under the regulations.

“We are also now able to start the process to investigate the risks to remaining open and to begin costing the remediation work required.

“Once we have this detail, we will be able to turn our attention to the matter of funding for the necessary seismic works to bring our beloved cathedral to the required standard.”

The WSP report is available on the Cathedral website: https://napiercathedral.org.nz/news/.