Kia ora affected residents of Rocks Road, Bisley Ave, Grenville Terrace and Moncrieff Avenue,

This is the first of a series of updates, so we can keep in touch with you and let you know about the latest developments in your area. We will provide you with this information first before making it available to the wider public. Please can you check with your affected neighbours (with placards) to see if they have received this email – and if not, get them to contact Engage@ncc.govt.nz so we can add them to the list.

Our key Recovery goal is to try and get people back into their homes as quickly as possible, as long as it is safe to do so.

We know that you have met with Mayor Rachel, and she has passed on your requests and we are reviewing what we can do. We hope to update you on the general items through this email.

The Tahunanui Slump:

The Tahunanui Slump is one of the most complex landslides in New Zealand, having been first identified in the 1890’s.

Edward Street (renamed Grenville Terrace) - 1929

Following the weather event (that started on 17 August 2022), approximately 50 homes were affected by this deep-seated slump, which saw both deep and shallow movement.

Update on the Slump movement:

The positive news is that while slump movement has occurred, this is slowing and the water table levels are dropping. This reduces the risk to many properties from immediate slip failure.

It also means that we will be able to start investigations in this area to understand what is needed for homes to be reoccupied, and we are hopeful that some homes can be reoccupied in the near future once we have confirmed the risk has reduced sufficiently.

This has been a major event. Sadly, some homes and properties have been badly damaged. Other homes have been affected and we need to make sure people will be safe before they re-enter these homes.

Next steps:

With the land movement, there are concerns that private and public pipes (the underground network) could have moved. We need to check the pipes in these areas to make sure they haven’t cracked or broken, as this could add more water into this sensitive area. Nelson City Council will be checking these pipes using CCTV to make sure the network is safe to be used again. There are lots of pipes, so this will take time.

Where properties are not at risk from slips and the infrastructure is working safely, then we can start allowing people to go back to their homes to check if the buildings are structurally sound. We hope to give you a better idea of a timeline for this next week. Nelson City Council will be managing re-entry for those properties and the process for changing placard colours.

We strongly recommend that you work with your insurance company to make sure you are following the correct process as some properties will need structural assessments.

In the meantime, if you have not had an opportunity to access your red or yellow placarded property to collect urgent items, then you must get approval from Nelson City Council to do so. This can be done by calling 03 546 0200 and asking to speak to the team managing one-off re-entry. Future access to red placarded properties will be determined once the area is geotechnically safe.

We understand that there have been concerns about security for the properties with placards. While we are not required to provide security as part of the Civil Defence response, we will be doing our best to help make sure the area is safe. We will provide a further update on this tomorrow.

We are hoping to hold a meeting for Tahunanui Slump residents next Thursday or Friday, at the Tahunanui Community Hub or Primary School. We will confirm this tomorrow so that you can book it into your calendars.

Do you have questions?

If you have any questions that you would like answered at the meeting – then please send them to engage@ncc.govt.nz

Do you need help?

If you are not able to return to your property because of the red or yellow placard, then you will qualify for assistance from Temporary Accommodation Services (TAS). We understand that many people have been staying with friends and family, but TAS is a service that can be used. Households can register on the TAS website www.tas.mbie.govt.nz or call 0508 754 163 to discuss their needs.

We appreciate this is a challenging time for us all. If you need any further support then please let us know.

Here are some other useful links:

• House and land damage should be assessed by private insurers in the first instance. We have compiled a list of insurance FAQs here.
• Payments are available through the Ministry for Social Development for people affected by the floods and slips in Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough. People may be eligible if they have had to leave their homes, need help with food, bedding or clothing, or if they have lost income from being unable to go to work. Click here for more information: workandincome.govt.nz/products/a-z-benefits/civil-defence-payment.html
• Mayoral Relief Fund: People that are in need of financial support following the impacts of the severe weather can apply here. If you are unsure whether or not you meet all the criteria, please apply and your application will be assessed.

Next Update:

We will provide another update tomorrow (Friday 2 September).