The Waitaki District Council took possession of the 1883 Oamaru limestone Lower Thames St courthouse on July 1. In March, when Justice Minister Amy Adams announced ownership of the courthouse would be transferred to the council and the Ministry of Justice would lease it from the council for court services, Mr Kircher said he hoped the strengthening work required for court services to return to the building could be completed within "nine to 12 months".
Mr Kircher said on Thursday the "detailed design reports on what the structural needs are" for the building were now expected to be completed by February.
But rather than make a prediction as to when the courthouse would reopen, he said it remained a priority for the council.
"Let’s just say we’re pushing to get them back in there as soon as possible," Mr Kircher said.
The council’s chief executive Michael Ross said he regretted having "nothing further to add".
"Regrettably, we have still not received the engineering drawings," he wrote in an email on Thursday.
"Because of that we have not been able to have them reviewed by Ministry of Justice and then checked by our quantity surveyor."
The historic building identified as requiring earthquake strengthening following the Canterbury earthquakes and was closed in November 2011. Court services in the town have now been relegated to a so-called "portacourt" in Humber St.
Mr Kircher walked back his initial prediction for work to be completed on the building five months ago and said on Thursday "external reasons" continued to cause the delay.
"It will take a wee while and it has taken quite a lot longer [than originally anticipated] and I think that reflects a number of things, including the state of the construction industry at the moment — the ‘busy-ness’ of it," Mr Kircher said.
"From our point of view, it is frustrating ... And we’re as keen as anyone to ... get the court service back in there.
"It’s a good problem, because everyone is so busy."
Estimates for the cost of the work have varied widely: from a 2013 ministry estimate for the cost of strengthening work between $1million and $2million, to an estimate commissioned by Oamaru lawyer Bill Dean that put the cost of strengthening the building to a new-building standard closer to $350,000.
The Otago Daily Times reported the contract for the $20million restoration and upgrade of Dunedin’s courthouse was awarded to Dunedin’s Amalgamated Builders on September 29.
The building, which was also closed in 2011, was expected to be restored and upgraded by December 2017.
