Council will apply for a variance of the Ashburton Art Gallery and Museum’s resource consent so a ground enclosure can be built to house new heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.

Councillors voted on Wednesday for the enclosure to be built to the north (domain side) of the facility, on four carparks currently used by staff. Another option was to build the enclosure on the eastern (front) side of the building next to the footpath and main road.

Mayor Neil Brown said council staff had talked with six immediate neighbours about the work and taken their feedback into consideration.

“It’s 10 years since the art gallery and museum was built and the building’s HVAC system needs some major repairs and maintenance. This enclosure will allow us to relocate mechanical plant from the roof and add new gear.

“Money for the enclosure and the repairs has been carried over for the past few years and now is the time to do the work, subject to obtaining the necessary approvals.”

The enclosure will have a four-metre high acoustic wall on the north and east sides, and night-time noise from the plant modelled at below 40 decibels, to comply with the district plan.

Mayor Brown said all art galleries and museums needed specialist industry-approved ventilation and air conditioning systems and Council needed to keep the system well maintained.

“There was a good debate about which location was better and having it to the side of the building was seen as a visually better outcome, plus we avoid having to cut down a tree. There was only several decibels difference between the two options.”