Designation response to January 2023 storm

​About this designation

The designation allows us to take specific actions under the Building Act to manage buildings in an emergency.

The decision to designate the region was made by the mayor of Auckland at 7pm on 30 January 2023 and the designation took effect on 1 February 2023.

The designation will be reviewed every 90 days by Auckland Council to confirm that the powers conferred by the designation are required to manage the response and recovery.

The designation will remain in place until 1 February 2024, unless terminated earlier.

Designated area

The designated area extends across the entire Auckland region, from Warkworth to Pukekohe and including Great Barrier Island.

The area designated will be reviewed once Rapid Building Assessments are completed.

Powers under a designation

The Building Act provides us a number of powers that may be exercised in respect to all buildings within the designated area, including the ability to:

• enter buildings
• complete post-event assessments
• direct the evacuation of buildings
• put in place measures for protecting buildings and keeping people at a safe distance
• place notices and signs on buildings
• direct the owners of building or land to provide information
• direct works (urgent and non-urgent) to remove or reduce risks
• direct works for long-term use or occupation of a building.

Assessment placards (stickers)

Information about the different placards and what they mean is available on the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) website.

Non-compliance and penalties

The Building Act sets out a number of offences and penalties for non-compliance in this matter, in sections 133BR to 133BU, 133BW and 133BX.

Penalties include fines of between $5000 and $200,000.

Support and monitoring

MBIE has activated the National Building Response Management Plan to support the response to the emergency in the Auckland region.