TROWBRIDGE Town Council has failed to win a grant towards plans to redevelop the Town Hall.

The council had applied to the Heritage Lottery Fund for a project planning grant of £45,000 but has been told its application has not been successful.

The money would have been used to prepare reports on refurbishing Trowbridge Town Hall.

In a report to the council's policy and resources committee, town clerk Lance Allan has recommended the council no longer looks at buying the Town Hall.

He said: "While this is very disappointing news to many, it allows the town council to take a fresh look at the project in the knowledge that the only likely source of significant external funding has been pursued and concluded."

He said the council's efforts have been "frustrated by negative comments".

Mr Allan has recommended to the council that money collected in last year's council tax hike should remain in the Civic Buildings Fund to pay for future investments in other civic venues in the town.

The policy and resources committee is due to discuss the matter in a meeting on Tuesday.