After the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, the owners applied to demolish the earthquake-damaged buildings, but their request was denied by the heritage body and the courts.

The roof domes are made of iron sheets and the pinnacles are of cast-iron crestings, a French design feature.

The balustrades of the staircase and the newel post have been featured with thistles and flowers, an emblem of Scotland (a reminder of the owner's homeland).

The silver room was fitted with shelves, from flooring to the roof, filled with "tureens, entry dishes, epergnes, teapots and cutlery".

These were in the form of a 7 feet (2.1 m) mahogany tree trunk with branches embossed with a traditional design of bear and cub.

[1] The drawing room displayed a mirror bordered with polished mahogany which was fitted with bronze and marble statues.

The ornamental chairs were fitted with regency brocade fabrics while a Persian carpet was a striking feature of the room.

formed part of the dining room cutlery, and the crockery consisted of large dishes to serve turkey and trout.

The Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) was criticised for having issued a section 38 (demolition) notice, given that the building is set back from the road by a long distance is thus not posing a threat to the public;[5] a section 38 notice overrides the requirement for a heritage building to go through a public consultation process before it can be demolished.

The organisation's chair, former Christchurch City Councillor and art historian Anna Crighton, stated that despite having given several million dollars for various projects, they have never been approached by the owners of McLean's Mansion.

[6] A strongly-worded editorial in The Press criticised the "scanty justification for its tearing down", described the proposal as "unnecessary destruction", and accused CERA of being "cavalier".

[8] The owners did not manage to find a buyer for the damaged building and applied in 2013 to Heritage New Zealand for demolition consent but the organisation denied the request.

The interior fittings removed in the 1950s are, according to the trustee Trevor Lord, in "jaw dropping" condition and have been offered for sale to the trust.

Purchase and restoration will cost about NZ$12m, and the trust hopes to have the first part of the building open to the public within nine months of repair work starting.

[12] The original trustees were businessman Trevor Lord, artist Philip Trusttum, curator Warren Feeney, and architect David Sheppard; all are Christchurch residents.