THE first look at ambitious plans to turn the redundant shell of the old Locarno building and Town Hall into a bar, restaurant and 61 apartments, has been obtained by the Evening Advertiser.

The blueprint, drawn up by Old Town architects DPDS Consulting, is in its early stages and is subject to change by whichever firm is given the contract to develop the one-acre area.

But it clearly maps out the intentions of the building's owner, Gael Mackenzie, and Swindon Council, which owns the adjacent car parks either side.

The drawings show how the main Locarno building behind the HSBC Bank would be converted to accommodate a 220-seat restaurant in the basement and a bar on the ground floor, both to be owned by Mr Mackenzie.

Additional seating would be in the old Town Hall and in a section of an Italian-style piazza area, which would be created on what is currently The Square car park.

A new block of three apartments would be built at the back of the piazza, while the clock tower would house the restaurant's kitchens.

Above the bar, a further three floors of 12 two and three bed apartments would be added to create a four-storey building, with the top floor accommodating three penthouse suites.

The Locarno wing, which has listed building status, would retain its facade of arched windows and would house a three storey complex of five two bed apartments, which would become the most expensive in Swindon.

On the other side of the bank, on what is currently The Planks car park, three blocks of two bed apartments would be built, enclosing a new lowered parking court for residents' use.

The largest would be a four-storey block of 18 apartments, one would be a four-storey block of 12 apartments and the smallest would be a five storey block of eight apartments.

The plans were not intended for official release into the public domain until a developer was appointed to take on the project.

But the Adver has obtained the drawings on the day the tender process reached the end of its first stage, with all expressions of interest due in by today.

Interest has already been high in the scheme, with the council and Mr Mackenzie's agents, Whitmarsh Preece Lockhart, receiving more than 130 requests for information packs in the last three weeks.

Ed Preece, a partner in the Swindon firm, which has marketed the £1 million site nationally, said he expected around a dozen of those firms to express further interest.

The firm will then study the scheme in more detail and by early July, a shortlist will be drawn up, from which a preferred developer will be chosen.

The firm will then submit a planning application later in the year.

He said: "If all goes well we're hoping to see some activity on site by late winter or spring next year.

"Quite rightly, this project is going to be under a great deal of scrutiny, so time must be taken to get it right."