Demolition plan for Heritage hotel tower

STACY SQUIRES/Fairfax NZ

HOTEL CENTRAL: The Old Government Building, part of the Heritage Christchurch Hotel, in front of the hotel's main tower building, with the Millennium Hotel on the right.

The body corporate representing the owners of the Heritage tower in central Christchurch has applied to the High Court to have the building demolished.

Owners have decided not to repair the tower and instead plan to demolish it and sell the land.

The chairman of the body corporate, George Horsburgh, said it was hoped the High Court would make a decision or hold a hearing, and demolition could start in the next couple of months.

Bringing the tower down could take at least nine months, he said.

He believed most of the hotel furnishings, such as beds and television sets, had been removed.

There had been a cash settlement with the insurer of the Cathedral Square building, and the body corporate had received a payout.

Individual owners had yet to be paid for their properties.

The court application was because of the various ownership of the tower under the Unit Titles Act 2010, but it was a relatively routine procedure, he said.

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Demolition plan for Heritage hotel tower