CTV building collapse: Design company owner Alan Reay appeals engineering body’s ruling that he ‘failed to provide adequate supervision’

The man whose company designed the six-storey Christchurch Television building that collapsed in the 2011 earthquakes, killing 115 people, is appealing an engineering body’s ruling that found he “failed to provide adequate supervision”.

Dr Alan Reay – owner of Alan Reay Consultants – was criticised by the families of those killed in the collapse for allowing his inexperienced structural engineer David Harding “sole responsibility” for designing the CTV building.

Reay went before an Engineering New Zealand Disciplinary Committee last year.

Police and volunteers work to rescue people trapped in the collapsed CTV building. Photo / NZH

The committee released its decision on the “longstanding” complaint last month and found: “The complaint was that Dr Reay’s employee who designed the building lacked the necessary experience to design such buildings, and that Dr Reay knew this and failed to provide adequate supervision. The committee found Dr Reay’s conduct fell well below the accepted professional standards in 1986 and breached the Code of Ethics at the time.”

The committee noted that the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission of Inquiry established that Reay knew the building’s layout could create excessive torsional response – twisting – but that he had not checked the design.

The CTV building has become a symbol of the February 2011 Earthquake - when it collapsed and killed 115 people. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Reay was fined $750 and ordered to pay $1000 in costs.

However, Reay maintained it was the design engineer’s responsibility to bring any issues to his attention.

After the ruling, he released a statement where he “strongly rejects” the decision, vowing to appeal it and describing the process as “a witch hunt”.

Now, Engineering New Zealand has confirmed an appeal has been lodged.

“We confirm Alan Reay has requested an appeal of a Disciplinary Committee’s decision that upheld the complaint against him in relation to his role in the CTV Building,” a spokesperson said.

“The request for an appeal is under Engineering New Zealand rules. It will therefore be referred to a three-person committee, which may accept or dismiss the request. If accepted, the appeal must be heard as soon as practical.”

Alan Reay, of Christchurch company Alan Reay Consultants Ltd. Photo / NZ Herald

After the Engineering New Zealand decision last month, CTV families group spokesman Maan Alkaisi said they were pleased with the committee’s decision.

“The numerous design deficiencies led to the tragic collapse of the CTV building and the loss of 115 precious lives,” he said.

“Although the decision came after a long 13-year wait, and the penalties do not match the impact of the tragedy and loss, this officially confirms that Alan Reay was responsible for the design and is held accountable for the lack of supervision over the design and construction of the building.”