The Minister for Greater Christchurch Regeneration is pleased to announce the transfer of the Waimakariri District Red Zone area to the Waimakariri District Council and Te Kōhaka o Tūhaitara Trust.

“The divestment of this land is not only a significant moment in the Waimakariri regeneration but also a major milestone in the regeneration of Greater Christchurch. Returning this land to the people of the Waimakariri District shows how far we have come since the earthquakes. ” says Minister Woods.

The 2010-2011 Canterbury earthquakes caused unprecedented and widespread damage to land and property in Kaiapoi, The Pines Beach and Kairaki.

“I want to acknowledge the people of the Waimakariri District who were badly affected by the impact of the earthquakes from the first major earthquake on September 4, 2010.

“The Waimakariri community were among the first people in Canterbury to deal with the impact of land movement and liquefaction, and their progress and active involvement through the earliest recovery to the current regeneration, has been symbolic for the pathway this region is on.”

Since the government’s approval of the Waimakariri Residential Red Zone Recovery Plan in December 2016, Land Information New Zealand, Waimakariri District Council, and Te Kōhaka o Tūhaitara Trust have been working closely together on the land divestment process.

The Minister says that the successful partnership between the Crown, the council, the trust and strong input from the local community to design and implement the Recovery Plan, has set the standard for effective cooperation and consultation, and demonstrated how the Canterbury region can move forward.

Land Information New Zealand have been working with the council to manage the Crown-owned residential red zone areas and have nearly completed the process of divesting the ownership of 68 hectares in Kaiapoi, The Pines Beach and Kairaki to the Waimakariri District Council and five hectares in The Pines Beach and Kairaki to Te Kōhaka o Tūhaitara Trust.

Since January 2017, a governance group and operational team comprising of WDC, LINZ, Environment Canterbury, Te Kōhaka o Tūhaitara Trust and Te Ngāi Tūāhuriri Rūnanga have been in place to manage and implement the Recovery Plan.

Cabinet approved the transfer documentation on May 14, and Minister Woods joined Mayor Ayers and trust chair Catherine McMillan at a ceremonial event at Kaiapoi today to mark the divestment of the land.

“The Crown has been working closely with the local community for nearly eight years to support them after the traumatic earthquakes and we are pleased to hand over this land and support local leadership to define the future of these lands,” says Minister Woods.

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