Rocks rain down on Redcliffs Cave House
DAVID WILLIAMS
MAKING DO: Ed Langston now divides his time between a caravan parked in a friend's horse paddock in Harewood and a house bus in South Canterbury.
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Christchurch Earthquake 2011
A day for Christchurch to remember
A crumbling cliff is claiming one of the most prominent houses in a Christchurch seaside suburb.
Rocks tore through the top floor of the Mediterranean-style Cave House in Redcliffs and wiped out a stairwell after the February earthquake.
June's twin quakes caused further damage and last Friday's shakes delivered a further rain of rocks.
Rockfalls have reduced the top storey of the Main Rd house to twisted rubble, but owner Ed Langston said the lower part of the three-storey house was still standing.
"It's still holding up even though it's got thousands of tonnes [of rocks] on it. It's amazing," he said.
Like many Christchurch people, Langston is waiting for the Government and insurers to decide what his future holds.
The Earthquake Commission has paid out for the damage, but the property is white-zoned, meaning the hillside suburb is still being investigated by geotechnical engineers and it is not clear whether it can be built on.
The cave next to the house, which was used as a wedding venue, might still be intact, but Langston does not hold out much hope of rebuilding.
"Unless they're going to make significant changes to the hill behind, that's just not feasible," he said.
"I don't know what can happen for the property going forward.
"We've just got to wait for the powers that be."
In the meantime, Langston, 39, an entrepreneur, divides his time between a caravan parked in a friend's horse paddock in Harewood and a house bus in South Canterbury.
He has transformed the paddock into a home away from home, with deck chairs, pathway lights and a heated shower.
"I feel like I'm in a great position compared to a lot of people in the city," Langston said.
- © Fairfax NZ News
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I'm surprised this guy isnt a geologist. Every other geologist in Christchurch seems to have a house in surrounded by liquefaction.
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09:23 pm Dec 27 2011
Its a bloody fiasco. Zone it red.
Great article. I am a little surprised that Mr Langston is still waiting for a zoning decision after all this time. I wonder how much money has been spent on consultants for land decisions on homes like this one ... I'm no geotech engineer, but can clearly see that Mr Langston should have had a decision on his house months back and he should have his caravan parked on a new section somewhere while he is rebuilding. Disappointed in CERA - you can do much better.
Great attitude Mr Langston has, but I have to say, that after almost a year I wouldn't be so forgiving. Why have CERA left this home in the White Zone. It should have been one of the easy decisions ... how many more houses have been left like this? CERA - shameful.
I have to say that I was shocked to read that this home is still in the white zone. Surely it should have been one of the first to be zoned Red. CERA - this is a no brainer!
After the latest quakes - all I can say to CERA is WHY IS MR LANGSTON'S HOME STILL IN THE WHITE ZONE? This is crazy stuff. There is absolutely no way a house should ever be built in this location again - perhaps prior to the EQs, it was considered safe, but now it isn't and never will be. Zone this home Red now.
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My Dad built this house. I am not surprised it is still standing (well the bottom level anyway!) It is layers and layers of concrete block and plaster thick. We used to 'joke' about the ugly house on the hill above falling down on it...... not so funny now! But so glad he sold it and no longer there, but sorry for Ed who is there and going through this political battle for zoning. Good luck and yes it should be red... we can all that why can't they??