Council blamed for repair delays

A Lyttelton couple forced out of their home by a dangerous retaining wall more than a year ago are blaming repair delays on "gross negligence" from city rebuild officials.

Robert and Nicola Pearcy have not lived in their Cunningham Tce home since a Christchurch City Council-owned retaining wall gave way in June last year.

The property was zoned green in December, but a section 124 notice prohibiting entry could not be removed because repairs had not been completed.

The couple battled for months to have repairs started despite being told in July last year the work was high priority.

Nicola Pearcy said Fulton Hogan was set to begin repairs three months ago, but the council's "incompetent and slow handling" of easements had prevented the construction.

"Numerous" calls to the council, Stronger Christchurch Infrastructure Rebuild Team, Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority and Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee's office proved "futile".

"The continuing message to us is that we have patience. We have had to move our three-year-old [son] three times in the last year," Pearcy said.

"Our house is structurally sound on green-zone land and we have no patience left."

The house was now deteriorating and no effort had been made to protect it from the wall, which was now on a "precarious" lean.

Her anxiety increased last week when she received a message stating the section 124 notice would be removed without the work being completed.

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Council blamed for repair delays