Nelson Courthouse. Photo: Pretoria Gordon / RNZ
The Nelson Courthouse is being vacated from this Sunday after a recent seismic report found parts of the building may be as low as 15 percent of the national building standard.
It comes 14 years after the courthouse underwent a $10 million redevelopment.
Engineers found the courthouse was safe to occupy, but the connection between the original courthouse and a building extension added in 2007 was a safety concern.
Ministry of Justice chief operating officer Carl Crafar said protecting the safety of everyone who spent time in the building including members of the public, the judiciary and staff was its highest priority.
For the safety of users, the ministry decided to vacate while urgent temporary repairs were undertaken - which could take up to four months.
The ministry was undertaking planning to minimise the impact on court operations, Crafar said.
Some scheduled court events would continue virtually while some other events would need to be rescheduled.
A $10 million upgrade of the Nelson courthouse was announced by then Prime Minister Helen Clark and Courts Minister Rick Barker in 2008, it doubled the courthouse's floor area and added two new courtrooms, bringing the total to five.
Space for the court's administration and public waiting areas was also increased, three additional judicial chambers were added, along with new cells and a dedicated space for security officers.
The re-developed courthouse was opened two years later in 2010 by then Courts Minister Hon Georgina te Heuheu.
The city has had a court since 1842 and a foundation stone laid in the site more than 150 years ago was incorporated during the redevelopment, with a time capsule containing coins, old copies of the Nelson Mail newspaper, phone books and court forms has been placed in one of the walls of the foyer.
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