Plans for Machynlleth community hall’s facelift have taken an unexpected turn that could cost the council close to £17,000.

Works to the Y Plas hall entrance are to begin this September, creating step-free access featuring fixed seating and planting.

The proposal didn’t include an additional temporary fire exit ramp which is needed to comply with fire regulations.

The ramp will allow the hall to be in use during the works.

The ramp isn’t covered by the £146,000 project funding, costing from £5,000 for a temporary one to nearly £17,000 for a permanent concrete ramp and steel door.

Councillors at the Machynlleth Town Council meeting on 29 July were dismayed, after the project was agreed with the voluntary organisation leading the plans, Mach Fringe, only if the project was fully funded.

Mayor Jeremy Paige said: “We can find that money from underspend in our tree works budget.

“This will make the community hall more useful for more people for accessibility and loading.

“If we’d been told you have to pay £14k [the cost of a permanent ramp minus VAT] for [£146k] worth of works I would’ve voted for it.”