Extra millions to plug cracks in land

Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee. Photo / Sarah Ivey

Up to $200 million will be spent by the Government to make land across Canterbury safe again in the wake of the devastating earthquake that hit the region.

Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee said yesterday the Government was still to determine how it would pay for the expected bill of between $120 million and $200 million for work that may include putting giant stone or concrete columns in the ground to shield suburbs from moving earth.

That cost is on top of the Earthquake Commission insurance cover to be paid out to fix private land damaged in the devastating 7.1 magnitude quake last month.

The whole of New Zealand would pay, Mr Brownlee said, because that's what the country did when disaster struck.

The range of methods open to fix the land was laid out yesterday in the first stage of a report by geotechnical engineers.

The report identifies about 6800 properties with land damage ranging from minor to "very severe". The 1200 worst-affected homeowners have been contacted about the future of their properties - land on only 16 properties has been deemed uneconomic to repair.

The extra Government land works could involve building perimeters on public space around suburbs badly hit by the quake.

Large timber piles or concrete or stone columns could go in the ground to combat movement of liquefied soil and lateral spread of the land. Other options included "dynamic compaction" of the earth, or restricting areas for building and filling existing cracks with pea gravel.

Mr Brownlee said local councils would decide on methods and where to do the work. He hoped work could begin early next year and be completed by 2013.

Residents who have learned their land is fixable have expressed frustration at the lack of further information. But Mr Brownlee said it was up to them to discuss the future of their homes with their private insurers.

He said the issue of where people would live while their land was being fixed or homes rebuilt, and who would pay for this alternative accommodation, was yet to be dealt with.