A drawn-out dispute over the future of a group of Princes St, Dunedin, buildings may take longer to resolve as a result of the Christchurch earthquake.
The earthquake has meant an Environment Court process for Prista Apartments' bid to demolish buildings at 372-392 Princes St and 11 Stafford St, and replace them with a development of 15 apartments and retail space, has been deferred.
In September last year, the Dunedin City Council granted resource consent to demolish the buildings, but required the company to replace them with a design similar to that of the originals.
The decision followed two years of hearings, petitions, public meetings and heated opposition. After consent was granted, the New Zealand Historic Places Trust appealed.
The trust's Otago-Southland area manager, Owen Graham, said on Sunday it was trying to get access to the buildings but the owner, Christchurch developer Luke Dirkzwager, was dealing with earthquake-related problems.
Consent committee chairman Cr Colin Weatherall said this week that until the issue was resolved, no development could take place at the site.
