The Ashburton District Council will shortly begin internal and external maintenance work on the Ashburton Art Gallery & Heritage Centre, after it was announced earlier this month that litigation arising from the building project had been resolved.

The Council is now able to commence work to fix the condensation and circulation problems that have been experienced in the building since it became fully occupied.

Chief Executive Hamish Riach says, "We're pleased that work can now begin on the deferred maintenance. Some of the work is weather dependent which will push particular jobs out until spring, but there are other repairs that are expected to get underway in coming weeks.

"The Ashburton Art Gallery & Heritage Centre is an important local facility and we are keen to start making the necessary repairs to ensure it continues to be one of our district's valued cultural centres for many years to come."

Work is anticipated to start soon on repairing the roof membrane. Two new mechanical air-conditioning units will also be installed.

Painting and sealing the southern exterior wall is programmed to start in spring and there are ongoing investigations into a solution for weatherproofing the three upstairs bay windows facing State Highway 1.

During the time that the maintenance has been deferred, the Council has taken additional steps to ensure the protection of the Art Gallery and Museum assets. This has included regular monitoring of temperatures and moisture levels and installing a temporary dehumidifier system where needed to maintain appropriate levels of climate control.

The upcoming work has been budgeted for in the Council's 2020/21 Annual Plan.​