THE cost of converting historic Court Gate in Tavistock to provide new accommodation for the town council, plus other offices, would be more than half a million pounds, it was revealed this week.

The figure prompted one town councillor to say the scheme was a 'non-starter'.

The £575,975 figure for the conversion was outlined in a new feasibility study drawn up by chartered architects Pearn and Procter.

The Grade I Listed building is owned by the council, which needs to move from its present offices in Drake Road because they will not comply with new health and safety regulations in force by December 2003 — to bring the premises up to standard would cost around £230,000.

But the study commissioned by the council revealed a complete internal conversion of the Court Gate complex, even if English Heritage gave approval, would be a massive undertaking.

Cllr Ted Sherrell is adamantly opposed to the proposal.

'I feel this entire idea is a non-starter. Is this a very polite way of saying 'Don't touch this with a barge-pole?",' he asked architects at Tuesday's council meeting.

Cllr Sherrell said it was not being pessimistic to think the ultimate bill would be as much as three-quarters of a million pounds.

Cllr Judith Williams pointed out that the council still had to maintain Court Gate, part of which is a Scheduled Ancient Monument. If it were being used constantly, maintenance costs would be lower than if it stood empty, she said.

She was also concerned about English Heritage.

'They are going to have to realise that these buildings to be used and lived in are going to have to be modernised. Somebody at some point is going to have to take them on,' she said.

Mayor Norma Woodcock said the ideas for Court Gate were 'pie in the sky' until the council knew what alterations English Heritage would allow — whatever happened, expensive maintenance work would have to be carried out in the area.

Cllr Peter Donkin, properties committee chairman, asked if it were possible to split the Court Gate cottage from the rest of the building.

'Is the message all or nothing?' he asked.

He felt the 'bottom line cost' of the 'Rolls Royce' study option was too high — the council should also be considering alternatives like using the town hall with its under-used Rundle Room.

Architect Wyndham Procter said it would be difficult but not entirely impossible to split the proposals.

'We were not asked to give our view whether we felt it was a good idea or not,' he said. 'It's extremely expensive, I don't think there's any way around that.'

He said there was 'considerable' dry rot in the cottage which needed to be dealt with 'as a matter of urgency', plus a tie-rod in the old Masonic Room.

He said English Heritage knew the result of the feasibility study but so far his company had received no official response.

The council agreed to apply for Listed Building consent for alterations at the suggestion of Cllr Robin Pike — this would not cost anything and English Heritage would have to make its views known, he said.

Members agreed to accept the study 'in principle' as a way forward among several options — a working group will now be formed to investigate the possibility of using the town hall.

Town clerk Roger Howard said: 'We've got 30 months. We can't remain operating in Drake Road after that because the first disabled person that can't gain access will take us to court.

'We are running out of options — we have to bite the bullet and make a decision.'