A MOVE to medieval Court Gate for Tavistock Town Council has been given a big thumbs down by the historic buildings watchdog English Heritage.

The council recently commissioned a feasibility study to investigate the possibility of converting the Grade I Listed building for a council chamber and associated offices.

Members last week agreed the £576,000 price tag for such a project was probably too high — and English Heritage confirmed this week that it would not countenance such alterations to Court Gate, part of which is also a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

David Morgan, inspector of historic buildings, wrote to the council stating the conversion proposals for an 'architecturally outstanding monument' would result in 'an unacceptable degree of damage to the special architectural interest of the building'.

'If we were formally presented with such proposals in the form of a Listed Building consent, we would feel bound to object to them,' he said.

The move to Court Gate was considered because the present council offices in Drake Road do not comply with health and safety regulations due to come into force in December 2003 — it would cost some £230,000 to convert the buildings. Now the council must consider what options are left.

Cllr Betty Batchelor said it was time to look to the future.

'I would have thought the old library building could be much more adaptable for a modern building, filling our needs as an up and coming town,' she said.

Cllr Roger Matthew said: 'The most effective and economic option is to bite the bullet and make the necessary modifications to this building. Why on earth embark on a new building project when we have one here? It's just potty.'

And Cllr Mathew said if members rejected this idea, they should consider sharing offices with the borough council.

'Writing off' the library building by using it as council offices was 'driving a coach and horses' through the long-held plans for the pannier market area, he said.

But Cllr Marjorie Corner disagreed: 'We did have a vision for the pannier market but these disability regulations have changed a whole lot of things. I think we've got to use the old library, even if only temporarily.

'We can go straight into it almost without doing anything.'

Cllr Pat Warne warned the matter should be 'thrashed out' quickly and not considered 'piecemeal'.

'It's a major issue that concerns us all,' she said.

The council agreed the refurbishment committee should look at the remaining options for a move open to it, including the library and town hall, at its meeting on June 19.