The steel frame that has become a fixture in front of Christ Church Cathedral is coming down.
Two cranes are on the Cathedral Square site, allowing workers to remove the frame and rubble leaning up against it. They will also remove any loose roof slates that pose a fall hazard.
The first pieces of the frame came down on Wednesday. The work, due to be finished by early February, will allow the reinstatement team better access to the front of the building to help decide what should be done next.
Reinstatement project director Keith Paterson earlier said some of the stone work was heritage material, so would need to be moved carefully before being documented and catalogued for the future.
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Greater Christchurch Regeneration Minister Megan Woods announced in June that the Government had reached a deal with the Church Property Trustees to restore the earthquake-damaged cathedral, which has sat derelict since the February 2011 earthquake.
The restoration is being partly funded by a $10 million Christchurch City Council grant, a $10m Crown cash contribution, and a $15m government loan that will not have to be paid back if certain conditions are met.