Council Designation of Area for Building Emergency Management

Designation for Emergency Management of Buildings – Public Notice

Thames‑Coromandel District Council (TCDC) is subject to a designation for the building emergency management of buildings under Subpart 6B of Part 2 of the Building Act 2004.

Designation Area and Duration

The designation applies to the entire Thames‑Coromandel District.

The designation was made by Mayor Peter Revell and advised to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) at 18:00 hours on 22 January 2026, following the severe weather event of 21–22 January 2026. It will remain in force until 21 January 2029, unless it is partially or fully terminated earlier.

Purpose of the Designation

The purpose of the designation is to enable TCDC to respond promptly and proportionately to risks to people, property, and public safety resulting from severe weather impacts.

The designation remains necessary due to:

  • Continuing instability of land and buildings in parts of the district
  • The likelihood of further severe weather events
  • Ongoing and emerging risks that require coordinated and timely management.

Scope of the Designation

In accordance with advice from MBIE, the designation consolidates the impacts of multiple severe weather events into a single designation. These include:

  • Cyclone Gabrielle (February 2023)
  • The January 2026 severe weather event
  • Cyclone Vaianu (April 2026)

The designation allows TCDC to exercise specific powers under the Building Act 2004 in a consistent manner across the district.

Review of the Designation

TCDC must review the designation at least every 90 days to determine whether it remains necessary and in the public interest.

  • The most recent review was completed on 22 April 2026
  • The next review is scheduled to happen by 21 July 2026; and then by 19 October 2026.

Council will revoke, amend, or continue the designation as appropriate, based on available information and ongoing risk assessment.

The following 90‑day reviews for the designation have been completed:

  • 22 April 2026 (first 90 day review)

What This Means for Property Owners

If you own, occupy, or are responsible for a property within the Thames‑Coromandel District, the designation may affect you in the following ways:

  • Assessment of buildings and land - Council may assess buildings and associated land to identify actual or potential risks to people or nearby property.
  • Use of statutory powers - Where necessary, Council may exercise powers under the Building Act 2004, including issuing notices requiring actions to address identified risks.
  • Emergency measures - If a building poses an immediate danger, Council may authorise or carry out emergency protective or remedial work. Property owners may be liable for reasonable costs associated with such work.
  • Access to properties - Council officers may enter properties for inspection or emergency purposes, consistent with legislative requirements.
  • Building work and consents - Repair, strengthening, alteration, or demolition work may be subject to additional conditions or oversight while the designation is in place.
  • Owner obligations - Property owners remain responsible for ensuring their buildings are safe and for complying with any lawful notices issued under the Building Act 2004. The designation does not affect property ownership but provides Council with time‑limited powers to manage public safety risks arising from severe weather events. Property owners are encouraged to engage early with Council and seek professional advice if they have concerns about building safety or compliance during the designation period.

Rapid Building Assessments Assessment and placards (stickers)

As part of our legal requirements in an emergency, building assessors are conducting rapid building assessments. These are an initial safety check to assess for damage, identify existing or potential hazards and assign the appropriate placards to buildings to identify any restrictions of use.

If your house has suffered damage and it hasn’t yet been assessed, please contact our Customer Service Team (07 868 0200) or bcorfs@tcdc.govt.nz so a rapid building assessment can be carried out.

 An assessed building is given either a red, yellow or white placard. These placards identify how the building is allowed to be used:

Red placards

Entry is prohibited

Yellow placard

Access to the building is either restricted and cannot be used or

you cannot enter except under supervision for a limited time or on essential business

White placard

Your building can be occupied - but it does not mean the building is not damaged.

For more information about what the placards mean for you and other important information, please see MBIE's website.

If a red or yellow sticker (placard) has been placed on your building, you will need to ensure the building is safe before reoccupying it.

What happens next?

The first thing to do is to make contact with your insurer and depending on the damage, speak to a suitably qualified tradesperson or chartered professional engineer.

When beginning remediation and repair work on your building, following weather events, there are things you need to consider. It's important you follow guidance from our Council and / or insurance company, especially if your home has been issued with a red or yellow placard by a Rapid Building Assessor.

It pays to check if a building consent is required for any remedial work. Some work may be exempt from building consent.

Once work has been completed, Council inspectors may need to re-visit your house and sign off the work before the sticker can be removed from your property. Please contact bcorfs@tcdc.govt.nzto confirm if an inspection is required.

What happens if a building owner or resident chooses to ignore Council instructions?

The Building Act sets out a number of offences and penalties for non-compliance when the Building Act powers are in place. The responsible person who has been designated for building emergency management has the powers to make decisions about non-compliance.

The powers for offences and penalties are in sections 133BR to 133BU, and 133BW and 133BX of the Building Act.  The penalties include the ability for fines of between $5,000 and $200,000 to be imposed if a person intentionally fails to comply with the relevant provisions of the Building Act.

Additional Thames-Coromandel Messages

Additional MBIE messages 

A range of additional information is available on our website, using the links below.

  • Together with Construction Sector Accord, Mates in Construction and industry, CHASNZ has written this simple high-level guide to assist those businesses involved in remediating flood damaged buildings and property -  Risk Guide To Working On Flood Damaged Property
  • This BRANZ bulletin covers health and safety considerations, tips for cleaning up inside and outside, drying out the house and repairs following a flood - Restoring a home after flood damage

 

 

 

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