The Dunedin City Council is planning to take part in an Environment Court appeal against a decision its own resource consent committee approved.
The local authority will take part in an appeal against the Otago Regional Council's proposed $18 million office building at the Otago Harbour steamer basin.
Last December, a five-day hearing into the proposal to build the 4000sq m office block at the junction of Kitchener and Birch Sts was held before Dunedin city councillors Colin Weatherall and Richard Walls and commissioner Roger Tasker.
In May, the regional council was given approval for a notice of requirement to begin work on the building.
Regional council corporate services director Wayne Scott said at the time if the process was not slowed by an appeal, construction could begin as early as September.
With Ferrum Engineering having appealed, that hope appears to have been dashed.
Ferrum has opposed the project because of concerns the building would adversely affect the slipway the company leased.
That, and related issues, are behind its latest appeal.
The city council's acting planning policy manager, Paul Freeland, said Fonterra would also be appealing, the company having expressed concerns about the negative effects of the offices being situated just to the north of its coolstore facilities and the reduced supply of industrial sites in Dunedin.
The Dunedin City Council was included as a "274 party", meaning it would not be allowed to introduce new evidence, only comment on issues appellants raised.
While the appeal may go to the Environment Court, mediation would be held first to try to resolve the issues.
Asked what issues the council could have with a decision its consent committee granted, Mr Freeland said it had "no issues as such".
"We're not really an appellant.
"Technically, it's more of a watching brief."
Parties have until Monday to lodge their appeal with the Environment Court.
An Environment Court spokesman said all parties so far had agreed to mediation, meaning on Tuesday that information would go to a judge, who would decide whether mediation was suitable or not.
It was expected any mediation would take place in August or September.
