The Anglican Church has agreed to consider "reinstating" the Christ Church Cathedral at a press conference today.

The Anglican Church is resisting a full commitment to reinstating Christ Church Cathedral because of concerns over safety and cost.

Bishop Victoria Matthews partially endorsed a plan to reinstate the quake-damaged church, but did not rule out building a new, contemporary cathedral in its place.

A report by Government-appointed mediator Miriam Dean QC found the cathedral could be either reconstructed to be "indistinguishable" from its pre-quake self or replaced.

Matthews said the Church Property Trust (CPT), which owns the cathedral, would look at safety and cost issues of reinstatement. If they were manageable, a working group would lead an effort to revitalise the stricken building.

Further announcements were expected in April.

LIVE BLOG RECAP: Christ Church Cathedral announcement

1 of 22 PRESS ARCHIVES The Christ Church Cathedral rises out of the heart of the city in December 1954. 2 of 22 DON SCOTT/FAIRFAX NZ Acrobatics in front of the cathedral's rose window in 2006. 3 of 22 DAVID HALLETT/FAIRFAX NZ Workers clean the stone on the Christ Church Cathedral steeple in 2007. 4 of 22 DON SCOTT An aerial shot of the Christ Church Cathedral after the earthquake hit on February 22, 2011. 5 of 22 RICHARD COSGROVE/FAIRFAX NZ Sue Spigel was rescued from a window of the Christ Church Cathedral on February 22, 2011. 6 of 22 JOHN KIRK-ANDERSON/FAIRFAX NZ The collapsed Christ Church Cathedral Spire, 30 minutes after the earthquake. 7 of 22 RICHARD COSGROVE/FAIRFAX NZ Dean Peter Beck beside his damaged cathedral shortly after the quake. 8 of 22 IAIN MCGREGOR/FAIRFAX NZ A no-go zone - Christ Church Cathedral. 9 of 22 KIRK HARGREAVES/FAIRFAX NZ A service for the deconsecration of the Christ Church Cathedral Peter Beck and Victoria Matthews in November 2011. 10 of 22 DEAN KOZNIAC/FAIRFAX NZ Engineer John Hare on the south side of the building, during the process in 2012 to assess the building's state. 11 of 22 DAVID HALLETT/FAIRFAX NZ Bishop Victoria Matthews, centre, announces the cathedral would be demolished in March 2012. 12 of 22 JOHN KIRK-ANDERSON/FAIRFAX NZ Demolition of the Christ Church Cathedral tower began in April 2012. 13 of 22 JOHN KIRK-ANDERSON/FAIRFAX NZ Mark Belton coming out of his meeting with the Bishop Victoria Andrews over the demolition of the Christ Church Cathedral, in April 2012. 14 of 22 DEAN KOZANIC/FAIRFAX NZ Hundreds gathered in Cranmer Square and then marched to Worcester Street to protest the demolition of the Christ Church Cathedral in May 2012, at which the wizard spoke. 15 of 22 DEAN KOZANIC/FAIRFAX NZ Protestors carried placards at the protest. 16 of 22 DAVID HALLETT/FAIRFAX NZ Professor Marcus Brandt from the United States speaking at Canterbury University about how to save the Christ Church Cathedral in July 2012. 17 of 22 DAVID HALLETT/FAIRFAX NZ A press conference by the Great Christchurch building trust with regard to the future of the Christ Church Cathedral. Jim Anderton (right) with Philip Burdon (Left) and Stefano Pampanin (centre) in July 2012. 18 of 22 SUPPLIED The three options: The contemporary Warren and Mahoney design was on the table in early 2013. 19 of 22 DEAN KOZNIAC/FAIRFAX NZ Christ Church Cathedral awaits it's fate but continues to be a tourist attraction, in 2014. 20 of 22 DAVID HALLETT/FAIRFAX NZ The whare outside the Christ Church Cathedral. 21 of 22 URBEX CENTRAL Urban explorers Urbex Central took this photo inside the abandoned Christ Church Cathedral in late 2014. 22 of 22 KIRK HARGREAVES/FAIRFAX NZ Bishop Victoria Matthews announces in December 2015 that the Anglican Church will consider "reinstating" Christ Church Cathedral.

"The Anglican Diocese of Christchurch and the CPT wish to move past the current deadlock to find a way forward to re-establish a cathedral in Cathedral Square," Matthews said.

"We want to support the city to move forward and we recognise the central importance of this building to many people in Christchurch."

Safety and cost issues prevented the church from committing to reinstatement now, she said.

JOHN KIRK-ANDERSON/FAIRFAX NZ The Anglican Church has agreed to consider reinstating Christ Church Cathedral following the release of a report outlining how it would be done.

"We couldn't commit to $105 million [the estimated reinstatement pricetag] when we actually don't have anything remotely close to that.

"The report mentioned also a contemporary build. It would be a matter of looking at different possibilities if the money is not forthcoming.

Dean's report found:



- Engineers for CPT and the Great Christchurch Building Trust (which campaigned to save the cathedral) agreed the church could be reinstated through a mix of repair, restoration, reconstruction and seismic strengthening.



- Reinstatement would likely take until the end of 2022 and cost $105m.



- Replacement could be completed by the end of 2019, costing $63m to $66m.



- The cathedral could be reinstated "to the extent that, for most people, it would be indistinguishable from the pre-earthquake building".

CARYS MONTEATH/FAIRFAX NZ KEY PLAYER: Anglican Bishop of Christchurch, Victoria Matthews, has fronted the church's updates on the cathedral.

The decision signals a likely end to the protracted litigation that has plagued the cathedral since the February 2011 earthquake and the public, often bitter, fighting between church leaders, who wanted to partially demolish the church, and heritage campaigners who wanted to save it.

Restoration campaigner Philip Burdon, co-chair of the Great Christchurch Buildings Trust, said he was "delighted and relieved" to learn the cathedral could be repaired, and was certain the necessary funds could be raised.

"It had been the argument of the church that the building was unrepairable.

KIRK HARGREAVES/FAIRFAX NZ KEY PLAYER: Great Christchurch Buildings Trust co-chair Philip Burdon has fought for the cathedral to be restored.

"The question of whether restoration was possible or not has been answered – I think that be will a considerable relief to the community."

Burdon said the trust would support the church in raising funds, or whatever else was needed to restore the building.

READ MORE:

* Christ Church Cathedral: Why all the fuss?

* Offer to protect Christ Church Cathedral from weather snubbed

* Sir Miles Warren design may break four year Christ Church Cathedral deadlock

* Cathedral parties keeping quiet on Govt-appointed consultant



Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee welcomed the church's keenness to consider reinstatement.



"The positive outcome here is that there are now options to work through and that CPT is willing to do so," he said.



"The issue then comes back to cost and that is something the Church Property Trust will need absolutely certainty of before it can commit to any work going ahead."

JOHN SELKIRK/FAIRFAX NZ KEY PLAYER: Auckland lawyer Miriam Dean QC was appointed by the Government to broker a deal between church leaders and heritage campaigners.

Whether or not any public money would be used was "yet to be determined", he said.

"It really does, I think, challenge those who want to see the cathedral remain in a refurbished or restored state to come to the party with some of that fundraising."

Talks with the Government on working towards a reinstatement plan would start in the New Year, Brownlee said.

Former Dean of Christ Church Cathedral Peter Beck said it was "disappointing" more progress had not been made by Wednesday's announcement, but he welcomed what had been achieved.

"Good things take time, and while I guess like many others I was hopeful that we might get a clearer, more decisive . . . decision today, clearly it's a step forward.

"I don't think the city will really recover until the cathedral begins to re-emerge as an icon and the heart and soul of the city."

Current Dean, Lawrence Kimberley, said: "I'm really pleased that we've got some consensus around the cost and engineering issues."

"That will now mean we can have a constructive conversation about future options."

Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel said she was "over the moon" that there had been such a big step forward.

"Cathedral Square is the heart of the city, and Christ Church Cathedral is the heart of the square.

"I think I can speak for all the councillors and say we'll absolutely do anything we can to help with a reinstatement plan."

Dalziel praised both central government for commissioning the Dean report, and the CPT for recognising that their privately-owned property was so important to the city.

The church canvassed public opinion in 2013 on restoring the cathedral, building a traditional reinterpretation or a new, modern building.

At the time, it estimated restoration would cost between $104m and $221m, a huge range that only just accounts for today's figure at it low end.

The reinterpretation option – a Gothic building with modern materials – would cost between $85m and $181m and the modern building between $56m and $74m.

TIMELINE:

February 2011: Cathedral damaged in major earthquake.

December 2011: Cathedral further damaged in two aftershocks.

March 2012: Bishop Matthews confirms the Christ Church Cathedral is to be demolished.

April 2012: Demolition begins with west wall of spire.

November 2012: Demolition work put on hold by the High Court.

April 2013: Three options presented to the public for cathedral: modern replacement, restoration, and rebuild with modern materials.

September 2013: Modern option chosen by church.

May 2014: High Court lifts injunction stopping demolition. This was upheld in the Appeal Court in July.

September 2015: Anglican diocese announce plans to bring in an independent Government-appointed consultant.

December 2015: The Anglican Church announces it will consider reinstating the cathedral.