Christchurch residential red zone areas
In 2011, following a series of devastating earthquakes which caused unprecedented and widespread damage, the Crown made the difficult decision to red zone badly damaged land in greater Christchurch.

The Crown purchased almost 8,000 properties located in the areas worst affected by the 2010–2011 Canterbury earthquakes, including in the Port Hills, Waimakariri, Southshore, South New Brighton, Brooklands, and the Ōtākaro Avon River Corridor. In 2015, we took over responsibility for these areas on behalf of the Crown, with Waimakariri red zone land transferring to Waimakariri District Council and Te Kōhaka o Tūhaitara Trust in 2018.
View land zones:
View red zone fly-over videos:
Flatland residential red zones
These areas include properties in Brooklands, Southshore and South New Brighton, and the Ōtākaro Avon River Corridor. Flatland areas were zoned red where the land was so badly earthquake-damaged it was unlikely it could be built on over the short to medium term.
Most of the built structures on Crown-owned properties in the residential red zones have already been cleared. Christchurch City Council manages the flatland areas so please contact them with any management queries.
Contact Christchurch City Council
Find out more about short-term (transitional) use of the RRZ flatlands.
Projects and events in the red zone
Port Hills residential red zones
This area has been zoned red because of the risk to life posed by rock fall and/or cliff collapse, and land slips.
Because of the multiple natural hazards, these are dangerous areas for the public and any access requires written permission.
Email redzoneinfo@linz.govt.nz or call 0800 665 463.