Stop the Stadium goes into liquidation

Part of the roof structure at the new Forsyth Barr Stadium being built in Dunedin. Photo / Supplied

Stop the Stadium (STS), a group fighting the development of New Zealand's largest indoor arena in Dunedin, has gone into liquidation.

In the High Court at Dunedin yesterday, Associate Judge Rob Osborne ruled "political issues" raised as a defence by STS president Dave Witherow were not matters for the court, the Otago Daily Times reported.

Mr Witherow had not taken legal advice and his statement of defence was not in a form the court could accept.

STS, which last year changed its name to Sort the System, is fighting the "adverse impacts" of Dunedin's new Forsyth Barr stadium.

The Dunedin City Council and STS have been locked in a dispute over court costs since earlier this year.

In May, the council sought to recover $11,060, or force STS into liquidation over its unsuccessful legal challenge to the council's funding for the stadium.

Judge Osborne ruled the society should be liquidated, and indicated there would be costs awarded to the council.

After the hearing, Mr Witherow told the newspaper he was "a little disenchanted with the law" and he understood any assets the society had would be disbursed by the court.

- NZPA