MEDIA STATEMENT

ANGLICAN DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH

March 5 2013

The following is a statement from the Anglican Diocese of Christchurch.

Last November a process was outlined to the High Court by the Church Property Trustees, (CPT). The Court agreed with this process, as did the Great Christchurch Buildings Trust. That is the process that CPT is working through and needs to remain faithful to. That process included public consultation over the future of the Cathedral.

As part of that process CPT, as the building owner, has delayed its decision making to evaluate the latest proposal from Great Christchurch Buildings Trust, (GCBT).

In due time conversations will include the Christchurch City Council and the wider public. However, CPT first needs to assess the proposal from GCBT. CPT also needs to consider a variety of factors that go beyond engineering, including cost.

The timeline for March is for CPT to evaluate the current GCBT proposal and other options. There is the possibility for conversations between the two parties’ engineers.

The Church will value conversations with the Christchurch City Council and the wider public but the process has not yet reached a stage where that can occur.

At this point CPT believes the City Council would want all relevant information to be presented to it and it is doubted that would be available for a Council forum between parties on 21st March.

ENDS

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