Hutt City Council Response to receiving peer reviewed Detailed Seismic Assessment on the Heretaunga block at Hutt Hospital

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Council

Published: 17 June 2022

Since receiving the draft Detailed Seismic Assessment (DSA) in May on the Heretaunga Block at Hutt Hospital, Hutt City Council has been working with the engineering team at the HVDHB on the information required to be included in the final DSA.

The DHB has kept us up to date on the safety measures put up in the meantime around the building including fencing to protect the public. This was in response to the risks raised in the report on the precast concrete façade panels on the exterior of the building that resulted in the rating of 15%NBS(IL3).

This week Hutt City Council has been sent the final draft Detailed Seismic Assessment (DSA) for the Heretaunga Block at Hutt Hospital from the DHB for review as part of our regulatory role assessing whether buildings are earthquake prone. We note the overall NBS rating has not changed in this report, but that the primary structural elements are now rated at 34%NBS(IL3) or above.

We are currently reviewing the DSA to ensure it has all the information required to meet the engineering assessment guidelines that are referenced as part of the earthquake prone building framework. This is priority work for council.

This assessment process is expected to take until 30 June to complete. Following our assessment, we will decide whether we have sufficient information to determine the Heretaunga Block to be earthquake prone and will notify the DHB as owner of the building of this decision.