Four years after a section collapsed, Oamaru's Severn St wall has yet to be rebuilt.
The 80-year-old, three-tiered landmark entrance to the Waitaki town failed in May 2016, months after the Waitaki District Council spent $45,000 improving its stability, removing leaning sections, re-establishing drainage, and building a new stone wall.
In June last year the council unanimously approved rehabilitation of the wall for $550,000, including a NZ Transport Agency subsidy of 55%.
Waitaki District Council roading manager Mike Harrison said a contract was recently put out for tender and work was expected to start once it was awarded and ‘‘at the first opportunity that contractors are available''.
He said the long delay was a result of the movement of the wall being monitored and the data collected used to complete design work "to suit the specifics of the Severn St site''.
Tests would be carried out to make sure the structure, which would visually be the same as the still-standing section of wall, had enough support to prevent a repeat of the collapse.
The original wall was built by the Oamaru Beautifying Society from blocks of Oamaru stone, and the entire lower level was rebuilt about eight years ago using concrete and an Oamaru stone veneer.
