A wrecking ball used to demolish the building closest to the Canterbury Television site breached consent, an inquiry has heard.

The Canterbury earthquakes royal commission was told today that the Christchurch City Council issued consent for the demolition of two buildings at 213 Cashel St after the September 2010 quake.

Questions had been raised about the effect of the work on the CTV building's structural integrity.

Council resource consents and building policy manager Steve McCarthy said the effects were considered before consent was granted, and there was no record of complaints or concerns from CTV tenants or management.

However, the use of a wrecking ball was not included in the demolition methodology and the council was never informed.

It was considered a ''variation'' to the consent, McCarthy said.

He was concerned that the first the council knew of it was during the collection of royal commission evidence.

''They should have advised us that they were intended to use an alternate methodology,'' he said.

The method was ''largely outdated'' and may not have been approved because of the noise and vibration caused, McCarthy said.

Assessment not detailed

McCarthy earlier told the hearing that city council inspectors would not have been asked to undertake a detailed rapid assessment of the CTV building.

The commission was told last week that three council building inspectors carried out a level 2 assessment - an internal and external inspection that required a certified structural engineer to be present - after the September 2010 quake.

A shortage of engineers meant none accompanied the team.

Council resource consents and building policy manager Steve McCarthy, who assigned the job, today told the commission that he could not recall the exact conversation, but it was unlikely he would have asked for a level 2 assessment without an engineer.

"I don't believe that would have been my expectation," he said.

The team would have been asked to use their "best judgment" and report back if an engineer was needed.

A later assessment by structural engineer David Coatsworth "superseded" any council inspection, McCarthy said.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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