Auckland Council has stopped a bid by the Chow Group of Wellington to have an application to build a multi-storey brothel fast-tracked to the Environment Court.
The group wanted to bypass a hearing before commissioners appointed by the council.
The council hearings committee decided it would rather have the matter heard by its commissioners before the possibility it may proceed to the Environment Court.
Chair Noeline Raffils said the committee felt the commissioners' hearing was a more appropriate environment for lay people to be heard.
The commissioners will hear evidence from the Chow Group, as well as more than 200 public submissions. Nearly all are against the brothel.
