MULTI-MILLION pound plans to bring Thornbury’s Armstrong Hall complex and library together under one roof will go out for public consultation tomorrow.

Thornbury Town and South Gloucestershire councils are considering moving the faciities to Turnberrie’s Community Centre, with preliminary talks having been announced around six months ago.

Another option proposed by the authorities is to refurbish Armstrong Hall, and keep the library in its current home.

These two options are being put to the public from tomorrow until September 29 to see which is most popular.

If the Turnberrie’s plan goes ahead, a two-to-three storey extension of the building would be constructed to offer better facilities, including a 450-seater performance hall and large meeting rooms, and SGC would move the town's library there.

This option is estimated to cost £4.5million and the current Armstrong Hall site would be sold for redevelopment to help meet the price.

This option could also affect the relocation of the Thornbury and District Museum, but that is still to be decided.

If the Armstrong Hall refurbishment option is preferred, that building would be extended and modernised, with bigger changing rooms towards the back of the staging area and the redevelopment of the adjacent bakery annex for meeting rooms and other facilities.

This project, which could be carried out in phases as funding becomes available, would cost around £3.5million.

After public consultation, the final decision will be made jointly by the two councils, the Armstrong Hall Charitable Trust and the trustees of Turnberrie’s.

Thornbury mayor, Cllr Helen Harrison, said: “This is a once in a generation opportunity to provide the high quality community buildings our growing town deserves, so it is important that the whole community has a say on the future of these much loved and used facilities.”

Cllr Heather Goddard, South Gloucestershire Council’s cabinet member for communities and tourism, added: “We have been working with the town council and the community to explore a range of options around the buildings we use to deliver services to residents.

“I would encourage everyone to take part in this process so we can take their views into account when we need to make decisions for the future.

“We are also keen to hear from residents about whether they see potential benefits of co-locating the library service alongside town council and other community facilities, if they choose to go down that path.

“This is also an opportunity for us to listen to any issues that people may have about the idea and to identify any opportunities the public want us to consider were the library to move to a larger space.”

Three public events are being held as part of the consultation, with residents invited to find out more about the plans.

All running from 2pm to 7pm, the first will be at Turnberrie’s on Tuesday, September 12, the second at Thornbury Library on Wednesday, September 13 and the last at the Armstrong Hall on Thursday, September 14.

Further information and a link to the online survey is available from each organisations website or www.southglos.gov.uk/consultation

Copies of the consultation survey can also be picked up from Thornbury Town Hall, Thornbury Library, The Armstrong Hall or Turnberrie’s Community Centre throughout the consultation period.

Views on the consultation can also be submitted by emailing consultation@southglos.gov.uk or phoning 01454 412103.