The Historic Places Trust is under fire from the Dean of St John's Anglican Cathedral in Napier.
The Trust's central region manager, Ann Neill, says demolition of the church hall which has a Category 1 registration, could have implications for the city's recognition as a World Heritage Site.
She says it is the only Gothic style building in Napier which survived the 1931 earthquake.
But the Dean of the cathedral, Helen Jacobi, says the building is an earthquake risk and is too expensive to repair.
She says the Historic Places Trust's determination to stop the hall being pulled down has cost the parish time and money, and the Trust needs to be more accountable for the tax dollars it spends and the communities it serves.
Napier City Council has issued a permit to demolish the hall, which will take seven weeks.
