Architects presented a schedule for preparing plans for the future of Garth House to a recent working party meeting in Bicester.

These plans will cover three different options that will be presented to the public for consultation next spring.

Oxford-based architectural consultants Berman, Guedes, Stretton presented the schedule to members of the town council's Garth House working party.

The three options include refurbishing the existing house, adapt and modify the existing building, or knock the existing house down and build a new one.

Deciding on the future of the the civic mansion which houses the town council offices, the Citizens Advice Bureau and the register office - is one of the council's biggest projects because it is in urgent need of repair and has been for some years.

Councillor Dan Sames said: "We have been looking at this for well over eight years. The town is growing, the council is growing in terms of operations and things it is taking on.

"We feel Bicester needs a civic building that the whole town can use. There is not a big enough space in the town to house large weddings so we want to be able to have a useable large civic space."

Berman, Guedes, Stretton has now begun work on preparing estimates and plans for these options in time for consultation at the end of April.

The cost to repair, refurbish of demolish Garth House will be quite a substantial amount and is yet to be confirmed.

Mr Sames added: "The working party had pitches from other architects but felt that Berman, Guedes, Stretton would do a good a job as they were suitably qualified and have worked with other local authorities on a number of projects.

"They will work out costings and we will then go to consultation to find out which option the people of Bicester prefer.

"I haven't decided which option I prefer yet. It is is too early to say."

In 2002, public consultation on the future of Garth House, which was left in trust to the people of Bicester, came out in favour of protecting the facade and refurbishing the inside rather than full demolition.

Town and district councillor Les Sibley said: "I think the three options are the right three at this stage. Each option has to be looked at carefully. The final decision will rest with the people of Bicester. It will be the right one and one that I will support."

The council hopes a new refurbished Garth House would include a multi-use hall with folding seating, archive space, a cafe, a function suite and an exhibition area as well as offices for the town council, the Citizens Advice Bureau and the registrar's office.

Mayor John Cozens said: "I think there should only be two options to chose from because what happens if they all get thirty three and a third per cent, or two get 40 per cent and one gets 20 per cent? Will we have to have another referendum? It's a lot easier to give people two options which will give an out right winner."