Canberra's two heritage bodies are set to face off in the ACT Supreme Court, with the National Trust asking its lawyers to launch a legal challenge over the Northbourne Housing Precinct heritage listing.

The ACT Government wants to redevelop the public housing flats along busy Northbourne Avenue as part of the Capital Metro light rail project.

Public comment on the demolition of some buildings will close in July.

The Heritage Council has listed only about half of the site for preservation, but the National Trust wants all of it listed.

Eric Martin from the National Trust said the group was denied an opportunity to object to the Council's decision.

"The objective of the Supreme Court action is to actually open up the issue of review of the heritage listing for the site," he said.

"Now what exactly and how that might be achieved is yet to be finally resolved, we'll take legal advice on that.

The National Trust believes the whole precinct is an outstanding example of multi-unit housing of that period.

"From a design point of view its contribution is important to public housing in the ACT, and as part of Canberra's development at the time and its relationship with the NCDC (National Capital Development Commission).

"I think it is important to recognise it and that status in the sense of heritage significance has been recognised by a large number of heritage practitioners in the past."

There was some confusion over the exact deadline to appeal the ACT Heritage Council's original decision on partially listing the site.

The National Trust's appeal for standing was rejected by the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal because it did not meet the legal closing date.