Up to $8m needed for Nelson's quake-prone cathedral - MP

Minister for Building and Construction and Nelson MP Nick Smith wants to establish a fund-raising trust to help protect Nelson's earthquake-prone Christ Church Cathedral.

Dr Smith announced the plan at his annual speech in Nelson this evening, where he said the building was currently uninsurable.

He rated the cathedral as an important landmark that helped define the city's heritage, and with the demise of the cathedral in Christchurch, it was now the most visited in New Zealand.

"The problem is that this 1929 building is earthquake-prone, and could in a significant event suffer the same fate as Christchurch's cathedral. A closer quake like Kaikōura's would be likely to bring down the tower and do substantial damage to the nave," he said.

Dr Smith said, according to preliminary work, the cost of strengthening the building to about 80 percent of new building standards would be about $5-8 million.

He said it provided a wider civic role than its function as a church, but it did not receive the same taxpayer and ratepayer benefits as other city venues.

"There may be those who will argue that this is a problem of the Anglican Church and Nelson diocese. I do not share that view. This building has a wider civic role and the church generously opens it to visitors and all manner of community events.

"The Suter Art Gallery, School of Music, and Theatre Royal are all privately owned by trusts but received both taxpayer and ratepayer support for upgrading," he said.

Dr Smith was working with the church trustees and the council towards establishing a fund-raising trust.

"We should set a target of having this strengthening work done within five years, for example, by 2022. That's a prudent timeframe that is realistic about the cost but also about the risk."

Dr Smith said the cathedral was not unsafe to occupy, but he would prefer it was strengthened ahead of any major quake.