The Future of Severely Affected Land (FOSAL) voluntary buy-out (VBO) and relocation programme aims to remove the risk to life for people living on Category 3 land.

Category 3 is land designated as no longer being safe to live on following the North Island Weather Events (NIWE) of January and February 2023.

These events included cyclones Hale and Gabrielle, which severely impacted eastern and coastal areas of Wairarapa, along with other parts of the country.

Wairarapa Recovery Office is coordinating the VBO and relocation programme for eligible landowners in the Masterton area.

To be eligible, landowners needed to own land assessed as Category 3 with one or more dwellings as at 13 February 2023.

For more information, contact Wairarapa Recovery office recovery@mstn.govt.nz