The demolition of the ChristChurch Cathedral which was badly damaged in the February 2011 earthquake is to go ahead following a High Court decision released on Friday.
An order preventing the deconstruction of the central city building was made in November 2012, but on Friday was lifted after a judicial review.
The fate of the Anglican Cathedral has been at the centre of a legal battle between the Church Property Trustees and the Greater Christchurch Buildings Trust, which has opposed its demolition since it was started in March 2012.
Both have produced engineering reports outlining varying degrees of damage inflicted on the 130-year-old building as well as vastly differing costs for its repair or rebuild.
In his decision, Justice Panckhurst said he has not been persuaded that the trustees acted with improper motive or dishonest intention in their decision-making.
The judge acknowledged though, that mistakes have been made - particularly regarding the diversion of over $4 million from insurance proceeds for the construction of the 'Cardboard Cathedral'.
