A demolition threat hangs over the historic Maori Methodist church in Patea, but not because it is condemned.
Its owners, Te Taha Maori Methodist Church of Aotearoa, want to demolish the Stafford St building, built in 1875.
Tumuaki (principal) Diana Tana told the Chronicle the church was being demolished as South Taranaki
District Council had condemned it.
The church hadn't been used for services for some time as it had been deemed unsafe for public use.
"We have to be careful about that."
However, council environmental services group manager Graham Young said no order to demolish the church under the Building Act had been issued.
Also, the church hadn't applied for a demolition consent, he said.
The Chronicle understands the building was going to be demolished this weekend, following a service tomorrow, but the new target date was now the end of the month.
Ms Tana said the future use of the site hadn't been determined - parishioners would need to talk about it.
There was no decision about whether another church or a centre or whatever would be built, "until everybody decides what's going to be best for (the site)".
The council's Historic Patea pamphlet says the former Wesleyan Chapel was built after the grant of the section from the Government in 1875.
The church still has its original shingle tiles which are covered by the present roof, the pamphlet says.
It is not protected by the district plan.
