Resource consent for the redevelopment of the Sarjeant Gallery has been approved, it was announced yesterday.
The decision follows a one-day resource consent hearing by independent commissioner Christine Foster last month.
The conditions attached to the resource consent require Wanganui District Council to have a conservation plan to ensure work on the 1919 building in Queen's Park meets national and international standards.
The council will also need to plant trees to replace those that will have to be removed to make way for the gallery extension, and maintain the current gallery doors as a possible method of entry. Last night mayor Annette Main welcomed the decision. "This is exciting news for the Sarjeant, our district, our region and our community," she said. "It is another significant step in getting under way a redevelopment project that will help us preserve and enhance this important civic amenity while protecting the nationally significant collections that have been entrusted to us over the past 100 years."
In her report, Mrs Foster said it was clear from the submissions that the proposed redevelopment of the gallery enjoyed widespread community support. "It is unusual to encounter such strong endorsement of substantive changes to such a valued building," Mrs Foster added. "I acknowledge the positive endorsement of the proposal by submitters and iwi. It is, in my view, a credit to the many years of preparation by the council."