Christ Church Cathedral gets green light to start main restoration work

December 23, 2020

The cathedral in the Garden City was badly damaged in the earthquake.

Critical resource consent has been granted for the work to restore the quake-damaged Christ Church Cathedral, its project director announced today. 

The resource consent, granted by the Christchurch City Council, would allow the repair and restoration of heritage fabric at the Anglican cathedral. It would also allow the replacement of the building's west porch, tower and vestries. 

Previously, only work for stabilising the building was being undertaken.

The building can now also be strengthened against any future earthquakes, which would be supported by a new foundation system that would include seismic base isolation. 

Christ Church Cathedral Reinstatement Limited project director Keith Paterson said the resource consent meant the cathedral could be restored “stronger and safer than ever before”.

But it comes with an almighty price tag.

“We will be able to start some strengthening works as we stabilise the cathedral,” he said.

In October concept designs for the cathedral’s restoration were unveiled, including two supporting buildings making up the "Cathedral Quarter". 

North of the cathedral will be a new visitors' centre featuring a café, museum, and shops.

South of the building will be the Cathedral Centre, which will provide gathering spaces, along with offices and amenities incorporating glass and timber textures.

As at October, the restoration project was expected to cost just over $154 million to complete. This exceeds the $104 million estimated by the Cathedral Working Group in 2016. 

No one has set foot inside the Christchurch landmark for 10 years.

New video from inside the building was released earlier this month. The footage, shot by engineering company Beca in 2019, revealed an abandoned building frozen in time. The cathedral's chairs and organ were as it was left on February 22, 2011, when the Christchurch earthquake struck.

The deal to restore the cathedral was agreed to in 2018. It was signed by Church Property Trustees, the Anglican owners of the land and cathedral, a Government trust and a private joint venture company.

The Anglican Church voted to restore the cathedral in September 2017.

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