New courthouse opens in central Christchurch

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee and Courts Minister Chester Borrows today welcomed the opening of the new Christchurch courthouse.

The new courthouse, which is capable of holding jury trials, was officially opened by Mr Borrows at a ceremony in Christchurch this morning. Court services will begin on Monday 19 March.

“Today’s opening of the Cambridge Terrace Courthouse is an important step in the resumption of justice services in Christchurch,” says Mr Borrows.

“It reinforces our determination to continue to serve the people of Christchurch even during these difficult times,” says Mr Borrows.

“This new $2 million courthouse is another Government investment in services in Canterbury. It is an exciting project where the Ministry of Justice and external suppliers have delivered what would typically take around two years in just six months,” says Mr Brownlee.

“I applaud the physical efforts of the building workers who have worked tirelessly on this important project to help rebuild their city,” says Mr Brownlee.

The courthouse was built by linking together a number of modular buildings. The courtrooms were built within the perimeter frame and purpose-designed for the site. As a result of constraints, they are slightly smaller than other courtrooms.

The project was achieved within a short timeframe due to a close working relationship between the Ministry, Ngāi Tahu Property Limited and the Christchurch City Council. It was aided by a revolutionary design and build concept developed with the local construction company Portacom.

“Along with Cambridge Terrace and the main courts complex, the Ministry will continue to work from the successful District Court operation, established at Ngā Hau e Whā marae in mid-April last year. Basing operations across multiple sites provides the resilience that the Ministry needs to cope with any future earthquake,” says Mr Borrows.