The New Zealand Historic Places Otago-Southland office announced last month that Carisbrook met the criteria to be listed as a Category 1 historic place and a registration application would be lodged with its national board.
Public submissions were called for by July 11, but HPT Otago-Southland manager Owen Graham said yesterday the deadline for submissions had been extended to August 8.
Both the Otago Rugby Football Union and the Dunedin City Council had asked for more time, he said.
"The rugby football union said it was very busy preparing for the test this weekend, and the council said it had a planner shortage and needed more time."
No submissions had been received yet, he said.
Used as a sporting venue since 1874, Carisbrook is earmarked to be sold for development if a new multipurpose stadium is built at Awatea St, near Logan Park.
The HPT is unable to nominate buildings, structures or sites for registration itself, but can investigate and make recommendations to the national board if requested by a member of the public.
The registration of Carisbrook was sought in December by former Dunedin city councillor Lee Vandervis and former Waikouaiti Coast community board member Michael Hurley.
Mr Graham said it was a misconception that registering the ground would place some form of automatic protection over it which would prevent it being used for other purposes.
In fact, registration gave no such protection, he said.
"Registration is a process used to identify and then recognise heritage values . . . the protection for heritage buildings or places actually comes through local authorities recognising heritage values and listing such places on schedules in their district plans."
The proposal for Carisbrook was to register the pitch, other land and the turnstile building as a place of special and outstanding heritage value, he said.
Registration would not include most of the grandstands.
The registration report recommends Carisbrook be designated as a public reserve and held in trust for citizens, should the new stadium be built.
However, Mr Graham said that might not mean retaining the entire site.
It could be a smaller public area was kept and a cairn or similar memorial be built to remember the "old" Carisbrook.
