Modern twist for cathedral repair?

The man leading the $104 million Christ Church Cathedral restoration wants to evict the pigeons and clear up the site by the new year.

Speaking for the first time since the Government appointed him to the project last week, Peter Guthrey also suggested the earthquakedamaged building’s fallen spire could be rebuilt in a modern style, although a decision on this would be made in ‘‘some time’’ by a board.

The Anglican cathedral is behind a tall fence. Weeds and vegetation have overrun the paving in the years since the February 2011 earthquake damaged the building. The spire partly collapsed in the quake and the base of the tower was later demolished.

Guthrey said he wanted the area around the cathedral tidied before Christmas or early in the new year.

‘‘That would be wonderful. I would like to see it cleared up as soon as possible, but I can’t make that decision on my own. That would give people in Christchurch confidence that things are under way.’’

He said it would be up to the project manager as to how to get rid of the dozens of pigeons that had made the derelict cathedral building their home over the past six years, which he would like ‘‘to be able to do’’. Pigeon droppings could be toxic and corrosive.

Keep Christchurch Beautiful chairman Alexandra Davids said cleaning up the cathedral site would ‘‘mean a lot to the people in Christchurch’’ and tourists.

A mid-September working bee recovered a lot of rubbish and construction debris from around and inside the cathedral fence, she said.

‘‘People could find cones, signs, things that just shouldn’t be there from people vandalising and just chucking stuff over the fence. Once things are tidied up, it does change people’s approach to vandalism.’’

Guthrey, a central-city landowner and property investor, chairs the ChristChurch Cathedral Restoration Trust, which will oversee fundraising and restoration of the building.

Guthrey said a decision on the rebuilt spire would not be made for some time.

‘‘We have the opportunity to design a new tower,’’ he said.

‘‘The tower and the spire will be new and I see that as a separate project, possibly by a separate architect.

‘‘The brief at the moment is that it should be in sympathy with the existing cathedral, so it could be contemporary. We could go to international architects or local

architects. The tower can be a separate project and there is no rush to decide what that will be. I would hope the public might have some input.’’

Greater Christchurch Regeneration Minister Megan Woods said it was too early to make a decision on the spire.

‘‘There is a whole process that has to go through with appointing the board. The board will make those decisions,’’ she said. ‘‘The cathedral is a priority for me. Everybody wants to see the cathedral a much more vibrant part of our [Cathedral] Square again.’’

Bishop Victoria Matthews did not comment on spire plans. She said the focus was on setting up the fundraising trust.

Great Christchurch Buildings Trust co-chairman Philip Burdon, who campaigned for the building’s restoration, had no opinion on the spire plans. ‘‘I wish them success with whatever they do. The Crown has taken it over and are rightfully running it,’’ he said. ‘‘We . . . will respect whatever decisions are made.’’

Guthrey, who is the son of former Christchurch mayor Ron Guthrey, said overseeing the restoration was a ‘‘privilege’’.

In the 1980s his father developed the Guthrey Centre on Cashel St in central Christchurch, which, before the February 2011 earthquake, had tenants including fashion store Country Road and a food court. The centre was demolished after the quake and the site sold to developer Richard Peebles this year.

Guthrey said his family had been involved with the Anglican Church in Christchurch for more than a century.

His parents died on the same day in 2008 and their joint funeral was held in the cathedral. His great-great grandfather, grandfather and uncle were cathedral canons, he said.