The owners of the ChristChurch Cathedral are claiming victory over a judge ruling to halt demolition of the Anglican church.
Yesterday, Christchurch High Court judge Justice Chisholm extended a ruling to stop demolition work after a submission from the Great Christchurch Building Trust claiming the building could be safely restored.
However, counsel for the Church Property Trust, who want to build a newly designed church on the existing site, told TV ONE's Breakfast the ruling was only a "pause" to get the plans formalised.
"The church is happy with the judge's decision," lawyer Jared Ormsby said.
"The judge rejected categorically the argument that we have to reconstruct a replica of the cathedral.
"[She] also said we can lawfully deconstruct the cathedral provided that it's for the purpose of rebuilding another cathedral."
Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker said the Church Property Trust now had to formally confirm their plans.
"The owners of the cathedral have to commit to writing the things they have said they are going to do in the past, and they can go ahead and deconstruct and build a new cathedral.
Earlier this year, the Great Christchurch Building Trust sought a binding court ruling on whether the Anglican church's plans breached an act of Parliament protecting buildings.
However, the Church Property Trust maintained restoring the historic building was unsafe and would cost $100 million to repair.