Residents of Forres are being urged to have their say on how the former Leanchoil Hospital can be used to benefit the community.
NHS Grampian is currently decommissioning the building, which is a well-loved landmark in the town.
Forres Community Council is determined not to allow it to sit empty or be sold off to developers, and have raised money for a feasibility study to be carried out.
Architects have also been inside to survey the structure and assess how much it would cost to refurbish.
Now a consultation will be held to ask locals what they would like to do with the former Victorian hospital.
Community council chairman Graham Hilditch said the event was part of the appraisal process ahead of a potential community asset transfer being submitted to NHS Grampian.
He said: “What we want to do is look at the possibility of a community asset transfer and get as many people as we can to give their ideas for what it can be used for.
“A couple of big stakeholders are also interested in this project so we need to engage with them and the public because the people of Forres feel like the hospital is ours.
“Possible ideas already talked about include a care for the elderly and those with dementia, a rehab for armed forces veterans or use parts of it as a community centre type place.”
The hospital was closed to patients last year after it was deemed to be too old and expensive to refurbish.
Mr Hilditch admitted that this was still early days for the project but that he hoped a plan would be in place this time next year for Leanchoil.
He said: “All we want to do is the feasibility study and identify a viable use for the premises and then hand it over to an organisation who has came forward.
“NHS Grampian need a commitment from us by the end of the year and we need to show we are serious about this.”
The public consultation takes place on Friday June 21 at the Forres Tolbooth between 1pm and 7.30pm.
