The Christchurch City Council has appointed a commissioner to decide the fate of a resource consent for a proposed probation centre.
The Corrections Department was granted consent last year for the centre in Opawa and has begun construction work.
Residents were upset over what they felt was a lack of consultation by Corrections and called for a review of the resource consent earlier this year.
The council's hearing panel has appointed Auckland barrister David Kirkpatrick to conduct the review as it is the first time the council has dealt with a review of this nature.
Residents say they are happy with the appointment and are calling on the department to stop work on the site.
The department says it will cooperate with the review, but will make no further comment until it is complete.
