Anglicans could consider selling cardboard cathedral site

Friday, 8 September 2023

The transitional cathedral in central Christchurch could be sold.

Christchurch’s cardboard cathedral could be sold as Anglican leaders gather this weekend to consider its future.

Selling the novel building and tourist attraction could help pay for restoration of the Christ Church Cathedral.

The Anglican church’s governing body, the synod, will consider a motion about the building and site on Latimer Square when they meet on Friday and Saturday.

A standing committee should investigate possible future uses for the site and report back in a year, the motion proposes. It suggests that selling the site and buildings, which have a rateable valuation of $11.6 million, could support restoration of the cathedral.

The site on Latimer Square also includes a small commercial building.

The Anglican diocese still needs to raise another $50m for the $160m restoration of the cathedral, which is set to be completed by 2027.

The motion said fundraising for the project “continues, but in a challenging environment”.

“One challenge from donors is whether the Diocese of Christchurch is digging deep enough to support the costs of its own cathedral being reinstated,’’ the motion states.

“The question continues to be asked whether we could give more.”

The cardboard cathedral, designed by award-winning Japanese architect Shigeru Ban, opened in 2013 as a temporary place of worship. It quickly became a tourist attraction and a symbol of the Christchurch rebuild.

Mark O'Loughlin of Harcourts said the site would be attractive to developers for hospitality, residential or hotel facilities.

An aerial view of the cathedral and the stadium site from last year.

“It is a lovely, premium inner city site because it has a north and west aspect.

“It would be ideal for a multi-level accommodation block or a hotel block.”

He said the site would be too valuable to a developer to retain the cardboard cathedral building.

“From a commercial perspective, it wouldn’t have a benefit for a developer and would probably be disassembled.”

The site was formerly home to the St Johns Latimer Square parish. The majority of worshippers at the parish split from the Anglican church in 2018 in protest at the decision to allow same-sex blessings.

Bishop Peter Carrell, seen here in 2019, says he has an open mind about the future of the site.

Anglican leaders had originally intended to return the site to St Johns once the cathedral was restored. But now the site could be surplus to requirements. The synod will also consider a proposal to dissolve the St Johns parish when it meets this week.

Completion of the stadium would make the site difficult for a place of worship, the motion states.

“In principal, the land concerned and the buildings on it are surplus to requirements - we have no congregation to place in the building when we vacate (and we will have a cathedral to fill with people when back in the Square); the site is going to be ‘awkward’ relative to the location of the stadium, Te Kaha, and would be best owned by an entity empathetic to the stadium if not by the stadium itself.”

Anglican bishop Peter Carrell said he was “open minded” about the future of the site.

“That site is housing the transitional cathedral and will do until we get back into the square.

“We could start another church on the site or do something else with it.

“The motion is about doing some thinking on this.”

The former St Luke’s church site in central Christchurch was sold by the Anglican diocese in April. The proceeds of the sale will go towards restoration of the cathedral once the deal is finalised.