THE Vaults building in the forthcoming Kingston Mills development in Bradford on Avon will be turned into an arts centre following a decision by the town council on Tuesday.

The building has been given to the town at a peppercorn rent by the developers of Kingston Mills, Linden Homes, for the use of the community.

The town council invited bids from community groups who wanted to take it over and two emerged as front-runners.

A consortium made up of the Preservation Trust, museum and Tourist Information Centre (TIC) wanted to turn the space into a heritage centre.

While a group of artists and arts administrators calling themselves Bradford Arts Vaults Enterprise (BRAVE) wanted to turn it into an arts centre.

A council working group scrutinised both applications and decided to chose between one of four options: the heritage centre, the arts centre, the arts centre including the TIC, or none of them.

The outcome was that an arts centre including the TIC, which will soon have to move from its current premises in Westbury Gardens, was the preferred choice.

Moira Forsyth, chairman of BRAVE, said: "We are delighted. We realise there is an awful lot of work ahead of us. We all hope that all the other organisations in the town will want to work with us in order to make it a really good community centre.

"I do feel for the other side because I know they put in a great deal of work, but we really hope we will be able to work with the museum on educational projects."

She said the group would be holding a public meeting to show their proposals to the whole town and get more people involved.

Mervyn Harris, chairman of the Museum Society trustees, said: "I am surprised that the town council voted to proceed with an option that didn't previously exist and which presumes an agreement with the TIC that it hasn't discussed.

"While the council has rejected the option to provide long-term secure premises for the museum, the museum will continue to develop and expand its activities, as well as performing a vital role in exploring and displaying the rich cultural heritage that Bradford on Avon has to offer."

Deputy mayor Cllr Simon Fisher, who chaired the Vaults working group, said: "Both proposals had merits and drawbacks and it has taken many hours of scrutiny to come to this most difficult decision.

"We hope that everyone will now pull together to ensure that the project is a great success."

Kingston Mills, the old rubber mills, is about to be redeveloped into a mixed-use scheme with a pricetag of £35m.

At the town centre end of the site there will be a new town square and commercial space with housing on the rest.

The Vaults building will have access from the Lamb Yard, which will form part of the new town square.