A change of heart by councillors has put the future of a former church in a north-east town centre back in the spotlight.
A plan by Aberdeenshire Council to declare the old Trinity and Alvah Church at Banff surplus to requirements and put it on the market has been halted.
Instead, community groups will get an opportunity to come forward with proposals for the Castle Street building.
Organisations will have nine months to devise schemes and organise appropriate funding.
In May, Banff and Buchan councillors agreed the redundant kirk should be declared surplus and re-marketed.
The move came as part of a decision in principle to relocate Banff Library to a proposed new Better Life Centre at Princess Royal Park.
Trinity and Alvah had been touted as the venue for a new library and was bought for that purpose by the former Banff and Buchan District Council.
Despite the work of a community group to make a case for converting the former church, no progress was made with the scheme.
Although Aberdeenshire Council claimed a new library was a priority for Banff, no money was immediately budgeted for it.
The reversal of proposals to declare the building surplus was proposed by Banff area councillors Iain Gray and John Cox.
Mr Gray said he was aware that community groups were interested in using the building.
Mr Cox said it was a “fantastic asset” for the town and the council should encourage groups to come forward with ideas.
He said: “There should be further investigations to find out if there are groups willing to take it over at their cost.
“A time limit of nine months would give a chance for groups to get funding.”
He said sources of funding, such as the lottery, to develop the building for community use, existed outwith the local authority.
Aberdeenshire Council keeps Trinity and Alvah wind and water tight but there are concerns locally that if it remains unused, the condition of the building will deteriorate.