Northlands mall to close 14 shops
MICHAEL WRIGHT Last updated 17:57 15/03/2012

LATEST: Fourteen businesses in the Northlands Shopping Centre will have to shut their doors tonight after an engineering report found part of the building did not meet new seismic standards.

Tenants were told this afternoon they would have to stay closed for at least a year while $9 million of earthquake strengthening was done in the next 15 months.

The affected area is at the southern end of the mall, near the Hoyts cinema complex.

The closure will not affect access to other parts of the shopping centre or interior access between Hoyts and the remainder of the mall.

A Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (Cera)-initiated report, one of several being carried out on the mall, found the area did not comply with new, stricter earthquake-loading standards.

Chris Gudgeon, chief executive of Kiwi Income Properties Ltd (KIP), the trust which owns the centre, said the affected area was the oldest part of the centre but the news was still surprising.

''I suppose everything's clearer with hindsight. You just have to make decisions in the interests of safety.

''We've worked this through with Cera and were going to sort arrangements that enable tenants to get back in and remove stock.''

Construction work would be significant, Gudgeon said, ''almost to the point of a rebuild'' in parts of the affected area.

The original mall was built in 1967 and was the highest priority for engineering assessment.

The trust was awaiting reports on the rest of the mall and expected more strengthening work would be required, but further closures were unlikely, Gudgeon said.

The affected stores are: Amazon, Frontrunner, Valley Girl, Bendon, Dick Smith, Hannahs, Amici's, Hungry Wok, Logoland, Jay Jays, Jeanswest, Beauty Co, Shoe Connection and Janine Janson.

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They say it could be over a year before they may be able to get back in.  It is the original part of the Mall that was extended and extended.
Normally a very busy Mall too -so will be a big disappointment.
With the rechecking to a higher standard now there are just so many more building now going to be shut down or have shut down.
The band rotund on the banks of the Avon is now to be demolished too as beyond repair now from the amount of aftershocks we have had.  Really sad for that one too.
I just hope that the Lyttelton Time Ball machine will be able to be rebuilt again - it had only been finished awhile back from the new restoration and it was one of five only in the world left. It was in real good working order too prior to the quakes.  The Invoice dated 27th June 1874 addressed to the Superintendent of Canterbury , New Zealand From Siennent Bros was for $813 pounds 1 shilling and 2 pence.  For one Time Ball and electrics.
I have the book on the Time Ball Station and it is certainly very interesting.  To me personally I think that this building is just as valuable as the Christ Church Cathedral to Canterbury.

Pleased you did Rupert- certainly was a great building and with so much history with it too.
Out of most of the buildings in Christchurch I just hope that this will be rebuilt and that the money for it will come readily.