Inverurie Town Hall is in line for a major revamp amid plans to house hundreds of council workers in a huge extension.
The B-listed granite building at the top of Market Street dates back more than 150 years.
Aberdeenshire Council is now seeking permission to radically modify the structure with a triangular addition big enough to house 450 full-time staff.
New images reveal how striking the transformation would be.
Design inspired by high-profile buildings
And the local authority insists the redevelopment will “turn this historic asset into a flagship focal point for the community”.
As well as the large extension, there will be new public areas created outside the building.
Planning papers say there will be an “adaptable pedestrian friendly space suitable for a range of town-hosted events”.
Designers say the extension itself has been influenced by buildings such as the Kunsthaus Zürich art museum in Switzerland, the Glasgow City College campus and Cambridge University’s Student Services Centre.
Old offices will be vacated
The planning document explains that the extension will bring under one roof various council services currently scattered across Inverurie, Kintore, Ellon and Oldmeldrum.
The building would provide space for a customer service point and registrar services, alongside general office space and meeting rooms.
Meanwhile, the existing council offices at Gordon House would be demolished to provide 100 free parking spaces associated with the new office.
The council’s Garioch area manager, Ann Overton, said: “This project forms part of Aberdeenshire Council’s ‘office space strategy’.
“Inverurie Town Hall is a landmark building in the town, and community input has been key in developing proposals that are both bold and sympathetic.
“Accessibility has been a key factor in discussions, both in terms of making it easier for people to make use of the community facilities in the town hall, as well as easy access to council services.”
Proposal would ‘rejuvenate’ Inverurie Town Hall
The council says the plan will reduce the costs involved with running various buildings while “improving the presence of the council within Aberdeenshire”.
The planning statement adds: “The project also looks to rejuvenate a key local authority, and community, asset positioned central within the town – Inverurie Town Hall.”
Aberdeenshire Council also says the development would bring more footfall to Inverurie town centre.
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