PLANS for a new Malmesbury Town Hall will be discussed by North Wiltshire District Council tonight.

Centrex, an ambitious project that would demolish the interior of the present Grade II listed building at Cross Hayes and develop a new multi-million pound complex has been proposed by the Town Hall Action Group (TAG).

Included in the plans being drawn up are a new museum, community space, a tourist information centre and an arts centre.

A 150 space underground car park under the pay and display car park at Cross Hayes has also been proposed.

The district council looks set to offer the group £10,000 to develop a business plan, risk assessment and building programme which will all have to be ready by October.

Chairman of TAG Ian Pollard said: "We are asking for £10,000 to cover design costs to move the scheme up to the point where we can start preparing funding for it. It would mean the council is behind the scheme, let's hope they vote for it."

TAG was formed after the district council threw out its own £1.3m scheme in January after criticism over the lack of community space and gave Malmesbury just three months to come up with a new scheme.

TAG includes councillors from the district council, the town council, the county council, St Paul parish council and representatives from the users of the hall such as Athelstan Players, the Civic Trust and chamber of commerce.

Mr Pollard said a price had not been put on the final scheme but funding could come from a lottery grant and homes built on the top floor of the building.

The town hall is in urgent need of repair. An estimated £575,000 would have to be spent on the hall to make it comply with the disability law coming into affect in October and resolve almost 200 problems identified by an independent consultant.

Last month TAG resolved to form an Industrial and Provident Society to raise money toward the cost of building the new town hall.

A local businessman has already contributed £5,000 the scheme.

Mr Pollard said: "It will give Malmesbury people the opportunity to invest in the future of their community."