THREE months after it decided to 'market-test' the 153-year-old building, Swindon Council has produced the relevant literature and will be advertising the former railway museum in Faringdon Road in the next few days.

The council wants people to write to its property and development department, explaining their proposals for the building, how they would cover their costs and whether they have a track record for such projects.

The move comes a week after Tory councillor, Peter Stoddart, suggested it could be used as a base for community groups for ethnic minorities or asylum seekers.

The council's promotion literature for the Grade Two listed building suggests it has potential for "commercial, leisure and residential uses".

The building started life in 1849 as The Barracks a lodging house for railway workers and later became a Wesleyan chapel. It was a place of worship for a long time before it was converted into a museum in 1962. The museum closed in 1999 to make way for the new Steam museum nearby and has been empty ever since.

Rob Richards, group valuer in the property and development department, said the council was not seeking offers for the building at this stage. He said: "It is a very similar process to the one we used to dispose of Gilbert's Hill School.

"We are hoping people will write to us with a range of suggestions for the building. The closing date for responses is September 1 and it will be going to the cabinet on September 25. Cabinet members will then be able to make a decision on how they wish to dispose of the property."

He explained it had taken three months because relevant facts had to be checked, they had to liaise with planners on possible uses and take time to print the two-page documents.

He added: "We didn't want to rush things and end up making mistakes."

The decision was taken in April to market-test the building after councillors claimed they did not want to see it go the same way as the dilapidated Mechanics' Institution nearby.

The cabinet said it wanted to "fast-track" the process, to make sure the building was preserved and put to good use. Council leader Sue Bates said she favoured the building being used for "inner-city-type apartments".

The New Mechanics' Institution Preservation Trust, which campaigns to preserve all heritage sites in the town, has asked if it can use the building on a one-year lease for its own headquarters and to house a variety of other community groups.

It says it knows of at least five groups that would be interested, including The Swindon Disability Coalition, Swindon Viewpoint, The Swindon 21st Century Forum, the Swindon Civic trust and Swindon Youth Council.