Tararua Council decides which streets need seven-year earthquake-strengthening priority

Parts of Gordon St and Miller St are the only two Dannevirke side streets to be identified as priority thoroughfares. Photo / File

A suggestion that Tararua District Council refuse to identify streets where building owners have seven years to earthquake-strengthen their buildings

was rejected at Wednesday's final council meeting of the year.

Roads and footpaths where pieces of unreinforced masonry from buildings could fall on pedestrians or cars in an earthquake are deemed "priority thoroughfares" and building owners legally have seven years to do the strengthening work.

The owners of earthquake-prone buildings in streets that are not priority thoroughfares have 15 years to do the work.

The council identified High St, from London St to McPhee St as priority thoroughfares but it was the listing of Barraud St between High St and Denmark St, Gordon St between Hall and Denmark Sts, Allardice St between High and Denmark Sts, Miller St between High and Denmark Sts and Ward St between High and Hall Sts that concerned the public.

Gallery of History vice president Murray Holden disagreed with listing the western end of Gordon St as a priority thoroughfare and Mike Schaare and Sandy Ahern opposed identifying Barraud St.

Holden feared that the classification could mean many of the town's historic buildings would be lost and urged the council to follow the lead of Rangitikei District Council in not enforcing it.

Holden said Rangitikei mayor Andy Watson told him the Government had asked about the consultation process but decided it had done everything correctly and saw no challenge to its decision being made.

At the last council meeting two weeks ago, councillors agreed Barraud, Ward and Allardice Sts and the western section of Gordon St could avoid the classification.

Council regulatory services manager Craig Lunn said staff did not support refusing to ratify the priority thoroughfares, and recommended listing High St, Miller St and Gordon St east, and the main streets of Woodville, Pahiatua and Eketahuna.

Cr Kerry Sutherland said the risk to cars and people in an earthquake had to be considered, despite the potential financial burden for the businesses and organisations affected.

But Cr Shirley Hull didn't believe the district had many unreinforced buildings and that the seven and a half year time limit would affect businesses.

Cr Alison Franklin asked whether owners of buildings in potential priority thoroughfares had been notified, to which Lunn replied that they had not.

Governance manager Richard Taylor said notifying owners would be the next step in the process.

"We can't send out letters until the priority thoroughfares have been formally identified."

Councillors Sutherland, Peter Johns, Raylene Treder and Carole Isaacson voted that the streets to classified, and Hull and Franklin voted against it.

Deputy mayor Erana Peeti-Webber was unable to vote as she declared a conflict of interest as the owner of a business in Gordon St east.

Mayor Tracey Collis was also unable to vote as she attended the meeting remotely. Councillors have to be present in person to be able to vote.

Cr Sharon Wards, who voted against removing any of the side streets initially listed at the last meeting, wasn't present when the vote was taken.