Hutt City Council responds to seismic information on Hutt Hospital’s Heretaunga Block

Today the Hutt Valley DHB has sent through a draft Detailed Seismic Assessment (DSA) on the Heretaunga Block at the Hutt Hospital. The HVDHB has advised that the DSA is currently being peer reviewed to check the methodology and modelling.

Hutt City Council’s regulatory team is now reviewing the DSA and will be working with the HVDHB regarding next steps under the Building Act 2004. Given today’s draft DSA report the building would be rated as earthquake prone as per the legislation, however, HCC is awaiting the final peer reviewed report before making this determination.

“We realise this is a significant issue for the community and we will be working closely with the HVDHB to provide guidance through our regulatory processes,” says Jo Miller Hutt City Council Chief Executive.

“In terms of the Heretaunga Block at Hutt Hospital this is a priority building under the Building Act.

“The DHB would have 7 and a half years to remediate this situation from when an Earthquake prone building (EPB) notice is issued.”

More information regarding earthquake-prone buildings can be found here

More information on Hutt City Council’s role in determining the earthquake-prone status of the Heretaunga Block can be found here