Temporary Christchurch village due to open soon

JOHN HARTEVELT

Last updated 05:00 07/05/2011

 

The first temporary village in post-quake Christchurch will be open within weeks, as new figures show that at least 1120 Christchurch households have been asking for a temporary home for almost a month.

Local Labour MPs have called for a rethink of the temporary villages after only one of 350 short-term campervans provided for residents was used, but a paper on the social impact of the villages will be considered by Cabinet ministers on Monday.

Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee said, "When you're thinking about these issues, you always try to pitch it somewhere towards the most extreme end of it need-wise and then you work backwards from there.

"Trying to pre-empt what people will do and what choices they will make is difficult, all we've got to try and do is make sure that there are options."

Late last month, the Government said 40 temporary homes would be built at Linwood Park, in Christchurch's eastern suburbs. The village of two-, three- and four-bedroom homes would be in two circles with a looped road running between them.

Mr Brownlee said the village was due to open in about two weeks.

The Earthquake Commission had identified 12,000 homes with damage exceeding the $100,000 cap on claims and 7000 homes "up towards" the $100,000 cap.

A "significant number" of that total would be demolished, Mr Brownlee said.

There would be a "quite orderly" flow of homeowners through temporary accommodation, with most only out of their homes for six to eight weeks of repairs.

Labour MP for Port Hills, Ruth Dyson, said Mr Brownlee should reconsider the temporary villages.

"We don't want a repeat of the situation with the campervans, particularly given that the temporary houses are going to be taking up valuable recreation grounds," she said.