Residents in north Christchurch suburb living in fear of gas explosion from local business

February 22, 2020

A gas bottling company operating in Northcote has not been given resource consent for some of their operations.

Residents in the Christchurch suburb of Northcote say they're living in fear, afraid of an explosion in their backyards.

That's because a local gas bottling company has not being given resource consent for some of its operations.

Local motel owner, Gary Brenssell says the gas business does not belong in a residential zone.

“We want to see it gone we want it moved - it doesn’t belong in a residential zone. There should be an immediate abatement notice to stop work immediately cause if something happens between now and when they make a decision, the blood is on their hands.”

And by 'they' he means the council.

“As you can see for the lack of security, nothing's fenced off, anyone’s got access to the valves on the bottles - the multitude of breaches we see is mind boggling,” he told 1 NEWS.

Donna and Gary Brensell own the motel next door and have pleaded with the council for nearly two years to close this gas refilling and distribution depot down.

Some nights there are hundreds of cylinders just metres away from their sleeping guests.

In July last year many of the local residents heard the explosion at a Northwood home in a neighbouring suburb, caused by a gas leak.

The Genesis gas depot which extends onto a Caltex site has consent for gas sales but not for refilling.

In a statement the council says “it's liaising with the operators in relation to the matter and if reasonable progress isn't made it'll consider escalating enforcement action".

But locals just want it gone.

“We want to see it gone we want it moved because it doesn’t belong in a residential zone,” says Mr Brensell.


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