Future of Christchurch's Lancaster Park looks bleak

The demolition of the Hadlee Stand in 2012 is all that has happened at Lancaster Park since the 2011 Christchurch earthquake.

The future of Christchurch's earthquake-battered Lancaster Park looks bleak after a new report found it would cost more than $250million to repair it.

Details of the Christchurch City Council-commissioned report were revealed this afternoon by Mayor Lianne Dalziel.

The historic venue, the scene of so many New Zealand and Canterbury rugby and cricket triumphs over many decades, is unlikely to be repaired at that cost, Dalziel said.

The insurance pay-out for the quake-damaged ground and grandstands was $143m.

The cost of recommissioning Lancaster Park as a venue capable of hosting tier 1 World Cup rugby test matches is in the order of $255m - $275m, the report says.

"The advice that we are receiving is that isn't economic to repair Lancaster Park. Even if we spent $100m that it was insured for, we'd still have a question mark as to the costings," Dalziel said.