Tenants at Christchurch's historical Arts Centre are taking legal action to fight their eviction from the earthquake-damaged site.
The Arts Centre suffered significant damage in the quake on 22 February and all but one tenant have had their tenancies cancelled.
A lawyer for seven of the tenants, Andrew McKenzie, says they were not consulted, nor given any information about the reason for the evictions.
Mr McKenzie says the tenants are seeking a judicial review of the decision in the High Court and primarily want confirmation they can return to the site when it is reopened.
A statement on the Arts Centre Trust Board's website says the decision to close the site was made reluctantly, but the overriding considerations are public safety and uncertainty about how long the work will take to complete.
