Nelson City Council Confirms Support and Funding for Richmond ARC Facility

Nelson City Council has officially confirmed its support and funding commitment for the development of an Archives, Research and Collections (ARC) Facility in Richmond, Tasman, marking a major milestone in preserving and protecting the region’s cultural heritage.

At its meeting on Thursday 4 August the Council endorsed the proposal to proceed with the project and reaffirmed its commitment of $3.04 million allocated in the Long Term Plan 2024–2034. Also agreeing to release $921,000 of the $3.04 million in the 2025/26 Annual Plan for the construction of the facility.

Nelson residents were invited to make a submission on the proposal in Richmond over the last two weeks. Eighty-six percent were in favour of the proposal, from 1,303 submissions received by the Council.

The new ARC Facility will offer a modern, fit-for purpose facility to store and care for the region’s museum collection, currently valued at $20 million. Having certainty of support from both stakeholder councils enables the Tasman Bays Heritage Trust (TBHT) to relaunch its fundraising campaign to complete the project.

Lucinda Jimson, Chief Executive of TBHT, welcomed the Council’s decision:

“We are thrilled that Nelson City Council has supported the Richmond ARC Facility. This decision is a major step forward in securing the long-term future of our collections. The new facility will allow us to care for our taonga to the highest standards while increasing access and educational opportunities for our community.”

With council funding now confirmed, TBHT will proceed with the purchase of the proposed site, finalise the sale of the Church Street site, complete preliminary designs, and submit a building consent application to Tasman District Council.

Tasman District Council has already committed $3.1 million in funding and is fully supportive of the project. Additional funding will be sought through grants, corporate sponsorships, and community donations to complete the project.

Construction is scheduled to begin in 2026. The ARC Facility project will be delivered in partnership with the project team which includes Scott Construction, Irving Smith Architects and CGW, and will feature, climate-controlled storage, enhanced security systems, dedicated spaces for conservation and cataloguing and increased community access to the collection.

Jimson acknowledged the efforts of the project team:

“We want to sincerely thank the project team for their expertise and commitment in helping us reach this point.”

In addition to preserving cultural heritage, the new facility is expected to support local jobs and contribute to the regional economy during construction of the new facility.

“We look forward to continuing our work in partnership with stakeholders and the wider community as we move ahead with certainty,” added Jimson. “Thank you everyone for your ongoing support and dedication to preserving our cultural heritage.”