Govt hopes to have quake land plan by next week

Prime Minister John Key (right), with Gerry Brownlee. File photo / Mark Mitchell

The Government hopes it will be able to give thousands of Canterbury property owners in the worst earthquake-hit areas some idea of what the future holds by the middle of next week.

Prime Minister John Key, visiting Christchurch today, said about 100 Geotech engineers had been working hard to provide some answers about the security of land where the 7.1 magnitude earthquake caused the most damage.

The engineers were feeling much more confident about what they were seeing, Mr Key said.

By the middle of next week, they were likely to be in a position to provide a plan and some choices for property owners, he said.

Earthquake recovery minister, Gerry Brownlee, said the earlier indications were that land badly affected by the earthquake could be made safe.

"The early indications are that the ground is becoming tighter. The ground is becoming more secure and perhaps with a little work then we can get a very, very good result."

Mr Brownlee said it was important that the analysis was not rushed.

Aftershocks were still causing damage.

"We are talking about the lifetime equity that most people that most people have achieved in their property."

Earlier this week, 100 residents from the quake-ravaged suburb of Avonside protested against what they described as "third world" conditions.

Angry residents shared stories of having sewage in their homes, having no running water and being turned away wherever they sought help.

Under the media glare, politicians sprung up pledging to fight for them, and the earthquake recovery team promised it was doing all it could.