The Great Christchurch Buildings Trust makes the following offers to the Anglican Church. (Media Release.)

SAVING HERITAGEMedia Release as follows:

Press Information

The Great Christchurch Buildings Trust makes the following offers to the Anglican Church.

Stabilisation Offer

  1. The GCBT offers to stabilise the Cathedral  - timeframe approx  6- 9 months
  2. The GCBT offers to pay for the stabilisation – cost approx $6.8m
  3. The work could commence almost immediately
  4. The Cathedral would be at approx. 34% of New Building Standard (NBS) at completion of the work
  5. The Cathedral would then be safe to enter and for restoration to begin

Restoration

  1. The Cathedral can then be restored  - total restoration cost $67m (including the stabilisation costs)
  2. The GCBT offers assist to raise the shortfall in church insurance fund (after full insurance contributions are returned to the Cathedral Trust) to achieve restoration
  3. This project will take 5-7 years
  4. The Cathedral will be safe when restored, and compliant to the latest seismic codes for public buildings
  5. A fully restored tower is included

Additional Information

  • The GCBT asked an experienced QS to analyse the Church’s  ‘restoration option’
  • The Church has used escalation/inflation inclusions in its costing, resulting in massive overstatement of the cost for the restoration option
  • The Church appears to have tilted the figures in favour of their desired  new build option
  • The GCBT  believes the public have been totally misled about the cost of restoration
  • The GCBT does not accept the Church interpretation of the restoration option
  • The restoration can be completed in 5-7 years
  • Substantial parts (i.e. nave etc) would be safe and accessible well before full completion
  • There is no need to have a delay in starting the restoration project
  • The GCBT is willing to work with the Church to develop the liturgical needs of the Cathedral
  • Restoration is a safe option – completed to seismic codes for public buildings
  • The Public should seriously question the Church’s interpretation of their current costings
  • The people of Christchurch should ask why the Church is trying so hard to persuade the city to destroy its most important icon
  • A High Court judge has expressed doubt about some of the evidence of the Church representatives, in relation to misuse of insurance funds
  • The Court has also found the Church Trustees in breach of Cathedral Trust in relation to the misuse of Trust funds.
  • The GCBT has a large support base from commerce, construction and heritage experts both in New Zealand and overseas ready and willing to work on the restoration
  • These skills and financial support are being freely offered or greatly discounted
  •  The GCBT is anxious to start the rebuild as soon as possible
  • In conjunction with the Historic Places Trust, restoration specialists and international experts, a pragmatic approach to restoration can be achieved - without a stone by stone restoration.
  • The GCBT is willing to help manage the restoration to allow the Church to attend to its pastoral matters
  • The GCBT made this offer of support and restoration of the Cathedral one year ago
  • The GCBT again invites the Church to co-operate with the restoration plan as offered

 

Press Release:(PDF)press30Aprilv2
Costings Summary: (PDF)costsummary30April
Spreadsheet Costing Breakdown:(PDF)QS30Aprilxlsx

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