A MAJOR bid of almost £1-million has been submitted to save Tavistock's historic Guildhall complex and bring it back into public use.

The bid has been submitted by Tavistock Town Council. Town mayor Harry Smith said this week it was the best way to secure the buildings, which include the former police station, fire station and magistrates court, for the future.

The Grade II Listed complex will be transformed into a gateway centre to the Cornwall and West Devon World Heritage Site (WHS) and a hub for the delivery of public services in the centre of the town.

The town council is working closely with West Devon Borough Council and Tavistock Townscape Heritage Partnership on the project and the bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund follows the decision of the Devon Historic Buildings Trust to sell the Grade II Listed properties, in part or full.

Cllr Harry Smith said: 'No final decisions have been made but the town council feels strongly that the future of these historic buildings should be secured for the town and that this can best be achieved by keeping them in public ownership and active community use.

'I am 95 per cent certain that we will get the money because I believe we have put a quality bid to the HLF — this project ticks all the boxes — we are saving an historic building and this is the centrepiece of the town.

'My vision is to see it one day as a civic centre, a one stop shop, where all local services can be administered from.

'To my mind this is the only way to take the Guildhall forward. It makes complete sense for the town council to take it on and make it accessible to the public — I feel passionately about that.'

The town council already owns the town hall, the pannier market and Butcher's Hall or the auction rooms, as they are known.

If the bid is successful the authority will own all the main historic buildings in that vicinity.

The buildings, which include part of the original Tavistock Abbey complex, were last used by Devon and Cornwall Police until 2010.

Devon Historic Buildings Trust purchased the Guildhall complex and has been maintaining the buildings since then, but has put out several appeals for someone to come forward with a suitable future project.

The site has been advertised for sale with planning permission for three residential units in the former police station.

Cllr Smith said the town council would not be including a residential element to the scheme.

The Tavistock Townscape Heritage Partnership is currently looking at revamping the area around the Guildhall and improving public spaces and historic buildings in general in the town.

It secured a £36,000 grant to kick-start the project last November.

Chairman of the partnership John Taylor said: 'It would be a great pity if the buildings were to be separated into different ownerships and uses — which could well happen if the property is sold for residential development.

'The bid provides recognition of the importance of the buildings to the town and a real opportunity to boost the local economy through a well-designed and resourced visitor interpretation centre which celebrates the internationally recognised mining heritage of our town and surrounding areas.'

The partnership proposal is to repair the fabric of the building to protect it from the elements and convert the ground and lower ground floor to a WHS interpretation/visitor centre, with an area for public service providers in part of what was the police station.

The former magistrates court would become available for a range of public uses with the first floor providing space for public and community services to be delivered in a central and accessible location at the centre of the town.

A final decision on the bid is expected in June.