Improvements and expansion of the new Oamaru court facility are being explored by the Ministry of Justice.
The move has been welcomed by the local law community, who have agreed present arrangements are ''grossly inadequate''.
The Ministry of Justice is investigating increasing the number of interview rooms at the new facility from one to three and increasing the amount of public waiting space.
Improvements to the custodial area and courtroom layout are also being investigated.
''We are looking at design options for the addition, and expect building work will get under way early next year,'' District Courts general manager Tony Fisher said.
''Part of the early design and scoping work is figuring out how much it will cost, which we are yet to determine ... Initial designs have the addition at approximately 26sq m in size.''
Dean and Associates partner Bill Dean said improvements were ''clearly needed''.
On a big list day, proceedings in the hearing centre could be a ''bit of an aberration'', he said.
On one occasion lawyers were having to interview clients in the car park.
Some lawyers had to be seated in the public gallery as they waited for their clients to appear, due to lack of desk space.
Adding interview rooms and changes to design would not be a ''complete answer'', but it would offer some relief.
''I don't think the Ministry [of Justice] has any illusions of the short-livedness [of the hearing centre],'' Mr Dean said.
Mr Dean and others in the district - with support from wife and MP Jacqui Dean - had lobbied to have the historic Oamaru Courthouse upgraded to meet earthquake standards, going so far as to fund an independent engineering and surveying report which disputed the Government's $5 million-$6 million cost estimate.
He still hoped to see the courthouse upgraded for permanent use.
Berry and Co partner Michael de Buyzer said any improvements to the Oamaru hearing facility would have to be seen as a ''positive step''.
''The current arrangements are grossly inadequate,'' Mr de Buyzer said.
It highlighted the flaws in using a ''stopgap'' measure and the need to get back into the old Oamaru District Courthouse, he said.
The Humber St hearing facility was officially opened on August 7.
The prefabricated courtroom and cells had been used as a temporary court facility in Christchurch, while a public waiting area and the staff and judge spaces were constructed specifically for Oamaru.
Ministry of Justice representatives are regularly meeting users of the hearing facility to ascertain their thoughts on what can be done to make better use of the building.
