Nelson floods: Woman warns of year-long wait to get back into red-stickered home

By Adam Burns of RNZ

A woman whose Marlborough home has been red-stickered for more than a year is warning residents of the battles ahead.

Some residents in Nelson-Tasman face many months out of their homes due to flooding and landslip damage.

Civil Defence red-stickered 15 properties in the Nelson area of those which have been assessed.

A total of 108 homes have been yellow-stickered and can be entered temporarily only to secure or remove items.

And 339 white-stickered homes can be reoccupied.

Many residents from Nelson and Marlborough were forced to leave their homes due to flooding or slips. Photo / Tim Cuff

Sue Fergusson's Pukenui Bay holiday home was deemed uninhabitable due to landslide risk following the July 2021 storms.

The slip did not damage the building but came down on neighbouring land.

She said it had been a massive struggle trying to get the Marlborough District Council to lift the restriction despite extensive repair work on the unstable land, which was now safe.

"It's been really disappointing for us.

"It's not straightforward and I don't think there's enough help for the public.

"It's quite easy to get a red sticker on your property, it's very hard to get one off your property. And I don't know who you look for ... I'm still struggling with it myself."

Marlborough District Council said it had issued red stickers to four properties in the 2021 weather event, and all four remained in that category.

"For the [red sticker] to be removed, information from a geotechnical engineer needs to be provided to council to confirm that the hazards from future landslide activity will not compromise the buildings."

Nile St properties still with water through them, bordering the now more placid Maitai River. Photo / Tim Cuff

Council said it had not received this information from Fergusson.

Fergusson said although her home had not suffered further issues last week, she sympathised with those affected.

"I'm really feeling for people at the beginning of this journey, which could be a long one for them."

She said there needed to be greater support for displaced residents.

"There needs to be some clearer guidelines and consideration for how they can support you.

"When the event happened last year, we had a liaison officer to primarily deal with the Pukenui slip and six months later her role had been de-established.

"We still needed the support, but it was gone."