Time extension for NZ quake red zoners CHRISTCHURCH Port Hills landowners thrown into disarray by the re-zoning of their now uninhabitable properties will get another five months to consider the government's buy-out offer. Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee on Friday announced a new deadline of the end of August for the 714 properties which are now zoned red. Previously the deadline was the end of March and the time extension is to allow owners more time to make a decision, especially those who own the 237 properties that were last week re-zoned as red. "We recognised earlier on that these delays - partly as a result of the Quake Outcasts judgment in the High Court - had been very tough on the affected property owners," Mr Brownlee said. It's now become clear that we need to give those red zoned property owners - particularly those whose properties have gone red in the review - more time in which to carefully consider the crown's offer, get all the advice they need, and to make an informed decision. The first of the offer letters will be sent in the next week.