Dunedin stonemason and sculptor Marcus Wainwright believes the marble altar at the Teschemakers Chapel will be damaged if an attempt is made to move it.
Mr Wainwright is involved in conservation and restoration work of stone structures, including restoration of the Larnach family's tomb in Dunedin's Northern Cemetery.
When contacted by the Otago Daily Times, he said it would be difficult to dismantle the altar without causing some damage, such as chipping corners.
Fr Mark Chamberlain, of Dunedin's Holy Name Parish, has filed an application with the Environment Court to set aside the interim enforcement order which stopped work on removing the altar, which came from Italy in 19 crates, and transferring it to Holy Name Church.
Mr Wainwright wrote to Waitaki Mayor Alex Familton earlier this month, saying he hoped the Waitaki District Council and the Historic Places Trust would be able to prevent the loss of the "irreplaceable historic artifact".
The chapel is listed in the Waitaki District Council's district plan as a category B protected item.
He had visited the chapel, and said he had seldom come across such well-executed work in marble, including figurative sculptures signed by the artisans.
Most marble monuments had severely eroded due to exposure to the weather.
"The altar is part of the chapel mounted to the ground like any wall or steps. The altar is placed in harmony with its surroundings in a uniquely-styled building unlike any chapel I have previously seen in New Zealand.
"This and its historic background must make it worthwhile saving for the future," he wrote.
He questioned the future use of the chapel, saying Oamaru's historic precinct was a prime example of a once neglected area which was now very popular.
By removing the altar, "you're virtually destroying the chapel", Mr Wainwright said yesterday.
