Work has started on a £5.2m project to restore and redevelop the Burgh Halls in Linlithgow, West Lothian.

It is part of West Lothian Council's three-venue arts strategy which has already seen the refurbishment of the Regal Community Theatre in Bathgate, and the ongoing revamp of Howden Park Centre in Livingston. Designs for the redevelopment project have been drawn up by Malcolm Fraser Architects, while Glasgow's Hunter Clark has been appointed to carry out the building work to turn it into a multi-purpose venue.

Work is expected to be completed by March 2010, at which point the Burgh Halls will be used for visual arts and crafts, arts education programmes and heritage interpretation. Funding for the project has come from a variety of sources, including £3.8m from the council, £772,500 from the Heritage Lottery Fund, £381,000 from Historic Scotland and £250,000 put forward by the Scottish Arts Council.

Martyn Day, the chair of the council's Linlithgow Area Committee, said: "When completed, this will secure the long-term future of this important building as an arts, heritage and multi-purpose centre, which will greatly benefit the people of Linlithgow."