New Zealand / Kaikōura Earthquake

Courtenay Pl cordon to be extended

13:28 pm on 27 December 2016

The cordon around parts of Wellington's Courtenay Place will be extended from tomorrow to allow a special crane in to start working on the demolition of the Reading Cinema carpark.

The carpark was damaged during the 14 November Kaikōura earthquake.

The cordon around the quake-damaged Reading Cinemas carpark in central wellington. Photo: RNZ / Jacob McSweeny

The demolition crane, which was brought up from Christchurch following the 7.8-magnitude quake, has been taking apart a ten-storey building on Molesworth Street in the capital.

It will arrive in Courtenay Place tomorrow morning, and the cordon on Tory Street will be extended towards the waterfront.

Some businesses will stop trading, while others will trade out of other premises.

Many people were left without their cars for a month when the carpark was condemned and their vehicles left inside. They were finally brought out on 21 December.

Residents in nearby apartment buildings were evacuated from their homes and were also only allowed in briefly on 21 December to retrieve some belongings.