The future of Bicester's publicly-owned mansion house will be scrutinised when plans for the building are shown to the public.

Major repairs have to be done at The Garth in Launton Road, which houses the offices of Bicester Town Council.

The property, along with gardens and other land, was given to the town by a group of benefactors in 1947.

Since then, The Garth has been used as offices, first by the former Bicester Urban District Council and subsequently by the town council.

During this time, there has been a rolling programme of repairs to the building.

But now councillors have decided to ask townspeople for their views on the future of the building.

A full structural survey revealed that it would cost £250,000 just to renovate the roof and replace decorative hanging tiles.

Town councillors' preferred option is to demolish and re-build most of the interior of the building while retaining the front and two side facades.

The existing council chamber would be kept as well.

Council leader Norman Bolster and other councillors will be on hand to explain to the public what could be done with the building during an open day on Sunday, September 16, from 10am to 4pm.

Mr Bolster said: "We shall be able to show people around the building and we will have a computer simulation of what could be done."

He said that if the house was re-built there would be a better use of the available space.

Ideas for a new rooms include the possibility of have a large public function or assembly room.