Downing Centre courts will remain closed for four weeks

Sydney’s busiest court complex will remain closed for the next four weeks as crews attempt to fix the major damage caused by a burst water pipe.

Sydney’s busiest court complex will remain closed for as long as four weeks after a burst water main caused extensive flooding and major internal damage to the building.

Cases scheduled for the Downing Centre will be disrupted as the “extensive damage” to the infrastructure of the building, including IT systems, electricity and various pieces of electricity-reliant equipment, is repaired.

Flooding from a burst pipe in Castlereagh Street caused major damage to the Downing Centre court complex. Picture: NewsWire / John Appleyard

“The Downing Centre will be closed for at least four weeks. Assessment of the damage is ongoing, however it is clear that extensive repairs will be required,” the spokesman said.

The Downing Centre houses Sydney’s district and local courts, as well as the state drug court.

The flooding and repairs are expected to cause severe disruptions to the sentencing/hearing timetable.

It is understood that courts will be prioritising matters of high severity, such as those involving defendants held on remand.

Low-priority matters like people self-representing to dispute parking fines are unlikely to see matters resolved within the foreseeable future.

People attending matters at any of the affected courts over the next four weeks have been urged to check online court listings or contact the Court Service Centre on 1300 679 272.

The closure of Downing Centre for repairs is expected to significantly disrupt the court timetable. Picture: NewsWire / John Appleyard

The entire court complex was evacuated just before 10am on Tuesday after a water main burst, causing a mass exodus of journalists, public servants, barristers, lawyers, court workers and other members of the public due to attend hearings.

The building experienced power outages due to the water inundation, and two people had to be freed from elevators when they became trapped between floors.

Some of the lower levels have been completely flooded, and contractors have been recruited to begin clearing the water.