Brownlee apologises to Port Hills residents

The Earthquake Recovery Minister has apologised to the Port Hills residents in Christchurch still waiting to find out their fate.

In one of the last major zoning decisions to be made, CERA has turned 121 Port Hills properties red.

Five have gone green.

That leaves 37 properties still zoned white - six in the Horotane Valley and 31 on Bridal Path Road.

Gerry Brownlee says it's a terribly difficult time for these home-owners, and that he feels for them.

"We'll try and move on those and have them settled in the next month or six weeks.

"It's a very awful situation for people, it's a difficult decision to have had to make. I know that many people are not happy with it, but I know many, many others are delighted that the long wait has finally given them clarity and an ability to move on."

Simon Langer was one of those who was turned red.

He says he and a group of others were desperate to go green and will fight the decision.

"We're doing every angle we can to be heard, and all we're asking for consultation. Come into our homes, let's go for a walk up the hillside - what's the fuss about, how can we fix it? It's the broad brush decisions, especially of today, that annoy us most."

Mr Langer says he will definitely be going through the zoning review process available.

Christchurch's Mayor maintains its share of the Government's red-zone buyout deal in the Port Hills is fair.

Mayor Bob Parker says the council will pay half the cost of buying red-zone properties affected by rock-fall and has budgeted 55-million dollars.

He says it faces a $20 million dollar shortfall, but says that has a relatively small impact on the the council long term loan.

"The Government has come to the party here, it was an interesting negotiation, they've been very fair, some would actually say they've gone further than they had to go. So it's a good outcome to those discussions it's good for the ratepayers."

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