Temporary villages

This Issue This is a part of the Canterbury earthquakes feature

By - , Build 126

One of the government’s responses to the earthquakes in Canterbury has been to establish temporary villages for people whose houses are badly damaged.

The Linwood Park 41-unit village under construction earlier this year.

Approximately 12,000 properties incurred over $100,000 worth of damage from the earthquakes in Canterbury between September 2010 and February 2011. Many households were able to find private rental accommodation, while others have either left town or accessed short-term options like motels.

But some people still need help finding somewhere to stay or are living in their damaged houses awaiting certainty about their next steps. For them, the government’s Canterbury Earthquake Temporary Accommodation Service (CETAS) can provide support and assistance.

CETAS is a joint venture between the Department of Building and Housing and the Ministry of Social Development. Householders’ accommodation needs are assessed, and they are matched with what’s available, from homes in the private rental market to transportable homes and houses in temporary villages.

Two villages are already up and running. A 22-unit village in Kaiapoi was completed in July, more than 40% of the units are currently occupied. The 41-unit village in Linwood Park was completed early September, and units are beginning to fill up.

Keeping local connectivity

Temporary villages keep people connected to their local communities while their home is repaired or a new one built. Although these villages are not intended as a permanent solution, they provide good-quality safe and dry accommodation.

To date, villages have been built on public parks and council reserves in areas with significant earthquake damage – Linwood Park in Christchurch’s eastern suburbs and Kaiapoi Domain in the Waimakariri district. Factors like the size of the park, site conditions and the state of local services and infrastructure (for example, drainage, sewerage, water, roading and power) had to be taken into account. Proximity to local services like shops, emergency services and public transport was also important.

Proposals sought for design

In early 2011, the Department ran a public tender process seeking proposals for the design and pricing to build accommodation units and villages. Over 200 proposals were received from within New Zealand and internationally. Containers and kitset housing, modular construction techniques and other types of temporary accommodation used in military situations were some of the suggestions.

The Linwood Park 41-unit village under construction earlier this year.

The Department looked at how quickly the units/villages could be built, their quality and cost and the aesthetics of the designs – would Kiwis be comfortable in this accommodation? Designs also had to comply with the Building Code and suit our environmental conditions.

Options for village designs were developed and worked through with local councils, engineers, designers and construction professionals to determine the most viable design for each site. Indicative design proposals were shared with communities nearby. Some design plans changed to accommodate the views of community groups and park users, for example, moving the location of units where they interfered with vital recreational activities.

Approvals needed

The Department had to submit a concept plan and village management plan to each council before construction could begin. The concept plan confirms the layout and technical design of the proposed village, whereas the village management plan specifies how the villages will be managed and operated once built.

A consortium of providers pulled together to begin work on the sites included Hawkins Construction, Fulton Hogan and Spanbild. The consortium applied for the relevant building consents, which involved obtaining MultiProof approvals from the Department.

Village management

To ensure these villages work well for the people living in them and for the neighbouring communities, the Department has publicly tendered for village operators to oversee the day-to-day management and administration in accordance with the village management plan. The village operators will be responsible for functions usually undertaken by a landlord, but they also need to manage relationships with the local council and community groups.

Once the need for temporary accommodation has passed, the villages will be dismantled and the parks returned to their original condition or better.

It is anticipated that the Kaiapoi Domain and Linwood Park villages will remain in place for up to 2 years or longer, depending on the Canterbury rebuild programme and demand.

For more

For further information, visit www.quakeaccommodation.govt.nz.

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Articles are correct at the time of publication but may have since become outdated.

The Linwood Park 41-unit village under construction earlier this year.

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