At least 128 buildings to be demolished in post-quake Christchurch clean-up.
The face of Christchurch is about to change, with Civil Defence confirming at least 128 buildings in the city centre will have to be demolished and more may follow.
At yesterday’s media briefing, the director of planning and transition for Civil Defence, Warwick Isaacs, said 128 buildings will be demolished, 37 require partial demolition and 12 will have to be made safe.
Another seven “critical buildings” would probably have to come down.
These are: the Rolleston Court apartments, New Zealand College of Early Childhood Education, Community House, BDO Spicer Christchurch, the Hotel Grand Chancellor, Harcourts Grenadier and Kenton Chambers.
Isaacs said the critical buildings were “generally” over five storeys tall, on an important thoroughfare, and posed a danger to other buildings.
Other buildings, including high-rise towers, may end up joining the critical list.
Some work on critical buildings was imminent, while further planning would be needed for the high-rise buildings such as the Hotel Grand Chancellor.
Isaacs had no update on how the leaning hotel building would be handled.
Some of the high-profile buildings on the list for demolition are: The Press building, part of Christ’s College, the Caledonian Hall, and St Paul’s Church.
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