Asbestos has been found in Dunedin's historic courthouse, but the Ministry of Justice says it will not affect rebuild plans.
Ministry general manager commercial and property Fraser Gibbs said a recent survey of the Stuart St building found asbestos in the sub floor and ceiling space.
''It is not unusual to uncover asbestos in a building of this age and we anticipated it in the case of Dunedin,'' Mr Gibbs said.
The find did not complicate the planned upgrade of the building, as its presence had been factored into the plans and timing for the courthouse strengthening and refurbishment.
''We are currently preparing for the safe removal of the asbestos, which we will pass on to the contractor when they commence on site.
''It will be removed by the contractor as they work through the strengthening project,'' he said.
Asked more detailed questions about the asbestos, Mr Gibbs said records showed asbestos was removed from the building during renovations in the early 2000s.
During the removal, some asbestos was briefly placed in a basement sub-floor, before being removed from the site.
The area where the asbestos was stored was covered in plastic sheeting and a thin layer of concrete to seal any asbestos residue.
''This work was all carried out to the building regulations of the time.''
This method, called ''encapsulation'', was still an approved method of containment under today's regulations.
''We want to stress that we take the handling of asbestos very seriously and expect our contractors to work to the highest of standards.
''We work with certified experts and go through all the proper checks and balances.''
