Earthquake-ravaged Christchurch Cathedral to be demolished This will be done with deep respect and love for a building that has served us so well for so long. The Rt Rev Matthews said deconstruction allowed for the removal of treasured items such as the remaining stained glass windows. This is now a very dangerous building that needs to be made safe. She said there would "definitely" be a new cathedral, but it would not be a replica. Christchurch mayor Bob Parker described the news as "heart-breaking" for many people. Support came from Gerry Brownlee, the Earthquake Recovery Minister, who said he admired church leaders' courage in taking a tough decision about a building that "had defined the city." But Bruce Chapman, chief executive of the New Zealand Historic Places Trust, said he was disappointed that the "most destructive" option had been chosen. "The church's decision to deconstruct the cathedral down to sill level, or a maximum of 2-3 metres around the full extent of the building, will make it very difficult to retain any sense of this very important building as it once was," he said. Restoration or reconstruction in a strengthened form remains a possibility, and there is an opportunity to explore options to obtain the necessary local, national and international financial support. Michael King, a leading structural engineer, said demolition would be "criminal." The cathedral has been extensively damaged in a series of earthquakes over the past 18 months, with its spire collapsing during the deadly 6.3-magnitude quake of February 22, 2011.