The Property Council says an ultimatum from the Christchurch City Council to owners of earthquake damaged commercial buildings will add to the stress business people are already under.
On the third anniversary of the first major earthquake to hit Christchurch thousands of people with the most badly damaged homes are still wrangling with their insurance companies over rebuilds.
A digitally manipulated image of a broken window on Spicer House. The photographer comments, "One of the office blocks in Christchurch City, New Zealand. As the window has not been fixed I am presuming that this building will be slowly demolished at a later date".
Damaged facade? That's the decorative mural of this restaurant located on Manchester Street in Christchurch!
Canterbury earthquake victims with the most damaged homes could have to wait more than two and half years for their houses to be fixed - but one owner says her problems are nothing compared to the misery of the Pike River mine disaster.
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Nader Guirguis assists Michael Awadalla with his traditional Arabic headdress at an event in Victoria Square to raise funds for the Coptic Church, damaged in the Canterbury earthquake".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Nader Guirguis assists Michael Awadalla with his traditional Arabic headdress at an event in Victoria Square to raise funds for the Coptic Church, damaged in the Canterbury earthquake".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Nader Guirguis assists Michael Awadalla with his traditional Arabic headdress at an event in Victoria Square to raise funds for the Coptic Church, damaged in the Canterbury earthquake".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Nader Guirguis assists Michael Awadalla with his traditional Arabic headdress at an event in Victoria Square to raise funds for the Coptic Church, damaged in the Canterbury earthquake".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Karim Mina (17) is missed by a thrown wet sponge at an event in Victoria Square to raise funds for the Coptic Church, damaged in the Canterbury earthquake".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Nader Guirguis assists Michael Awadalla with his traditional Arabic headdress at an event in Victoria Square to raise funds for the Coptic Church, damaged in the Canterbury earthquake".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Nader Guirguis assists Michael Awadalla with his traditional Arabic headdress at an event in Victoria Square to raise funds for the Coptic Church, damaged in the Canterbury earthquake".
A photograph of Graeme Kershaw, Technician at the University of Canterbury Department of Physics and Astronomy, sitting among the damaged parts of the Townsend Telescope. The telescope was damaged during the 22 February 2011 earthquake, when the Observatory tower at the Christchurch Arts Centre collapsed. Kershaw has been given the task of restoring the telescope. In this photograph he is holding the telescope's clock drive.
A photograph of Graeme Kershaw, Technician at the University of Canterbury Department of Physics and Astronomy, sitting among the damaged parts of the Townsend Telescope. The telescope was damaged during the 22 February 2011 earthquake, when the Observatory tower at the Christchurch Arts Centre collapsed. Kershaw has been given the task of restoring the telescope. In this photograph he is holding the telescope's clock drive.
A photograph of Graeme Kershaw, Technician at the University of Canterbury Department of Physics and Astronomy, sitting among the damaged parts of the Townsend Telescope. The telescope was damaged during the 22 February 2011 earthquake, when the Observatory tower at the Christchurch Arts Centre collapsed. Kershaw has been given the task of restoring the telescope. In this photograph he is holding the telescope's clock drive.
A video about the earthquake damage to the Christchurch Town Hall. The video shows footage of a tour through the inside of the Town Hall, recorded on a GoPro camera. It also includes interviews with Councillor Glenn Livingstone and Councillor Tim Carter about their impressions of the damage and the work that will be needed to fix the building.
A large chess board made from sand and broken shells, with a painted beach scene on the wall behind. The photographer comments, "After all the suggestions put on the wall on what to do in this area, which was once an earthquake damaged shop, they have made the chess board, painted a seaside scene on the wall and created a small wall of tyres".
Broken windows on the Orion building on Manchester Street. The photographer comments, "Bob Brown's Hi-Fi was damaged, as you can see, in the Christchurch earthquake on the 22 February 2011. At lot of buildings in the area have been demolished, but this art deco style structure might have not have been put on the demolition list yet".
A digitally manipulated photograph of broken windows on Shadbolt House. The photographer comments, "This was close to the start of the demolition of the earthquake damaged Shadbolt House building in the Port of Lyttelton, New Zealand. In the bright sun the glass reflected the blue sky, but the broken windows only reflected the blackness of the interior of the empty broken building".
A photograph of Graeme Kershaw, Technician at the University of Canterbury Department of Physics and Astronomy, sitting among the damaged parts of the Townsend Telescope. The telescope was damaged during the 22 February 2011 earthquake, when the Observatory tower at the Christchurch Arts Centre collapsed. Kershaw has been given the task of restoring the telescope. In this photograph he is holding the telescope's clock drive.
Part of Mike Hewson's installation 'Homage To Lost Spaces' in the Cramner Courts building, a photograph of a young man working at a desk has been inserted into a gap in the building. The photographer comments, "Cranmer Courts in Christchurch, New Zealand was very badly damaged in the earthquakes that have rocked the City for the past two years. Mike Hewson thought he would try to bring life back into the buildings by putting photographs into the spaces where the doors and windows were. There was a month or so when no one seemed to know or admit who had put the pictures up, but it was done officially. It seems that though very badly damaged the buildings may get restored".
Schools are an important part of any community, and two years on from the start of the earthquakes in Canterbury many are still coping with damage to classrooms, and with dramatically reduced rolls.
The Christchurch City Council has voted to fast track the demolition of two heritage buildings that it says were severely damaged in September's earthquake and pose an immediate danger to people's safety.
A broken concrete floor slab in a residential property. The photographer comments, "Now that our house is to be rebuilt some time in the distant future, I decided to relay the loose and broken tiles. I took some photos to show what lies beneath".
A large crack in the concrete floor slab of a building in Barbadoes Street. The photographer comments, "This is a picture of the cracked concrete floor in a shop in the Christchurch CBD. I have a similar crack in my home, but I have not lifted the carpet to look".
An advertising poster outside Minx Dining Room and Bar on Lichfield Street depicts Katy Perry in a bird cage. The photographer comments, "One of the sites you will see on the Christchurch CBD red zone tour".
A dusty bottle sits on top of a partially demolished wall. The photographer comments, "The Ozone used to be a popular bar in its day and somehow this bottle must have literally fallen through the cracks.
A man reads a newspaper report about dung beetles being imported to process organic waste. In the second frame someone in one of a row of three portaloos wonders whether dung beetles would be better at it than the Council. Refers to the need for portaloos in the Canterbury region after the 4th September earthquake that damaged much plumbing infrastructure. Quantity: 2 digital cartoon(s).
Great place for a Coffee and great homemade baking - Say Hi to Wendy for me!!
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Karim Mina (17) is narrowly missed by a thrown wet sponge at an event in Victoria Square to raise funds for the Coptic Church, damaged in the Canterbury earthquake".