North Hertfordshire District Council (NHDC) has agreed to commission a feasibility study to examine plans to convert Hitchin Town Hall into a new museum and community venue.

The council unveiled its preferred option for the scheme in December last year but is now set to explore an alternative option put forward by Hitchin Initiative on behalf of a number of local community groups. Buttress Fuller Alsop Williams Architects, which carried out NHDC's initial feasibility study, will investigate plans to keep the venue's main hall for community use, with an enlarged gymnasium forming the new museum.

NHDC said that it was necessary to draw up a full feasibility study into the alternative option and to allow work the community groups to prepare a business plan for the proposals before any decision is made to progress the scheme. Tricia Cowley, the council's community engagement portfolio holder, said: "There is now a lot of common ground and understanding between the council and the local group on which we are hope to continue to build.

"However, before NHDC can make a decision to invest significant money in to the conversion of Hitchin Town Hall we do need to evaluate both proposals. The successful scheme will need to be sustainable as well as provide good value for money for our tax payers."