MUSEUM director David Dawson has warned people in Devizes not to get their hopes up for a speedy redevelopment of the derelict Assize Court building.

Mr Dawson told Devizes Town Councillors that it would be a number of years before work could ever start on turning the old courts in Northgate Street into a new home for Wiltshire Museum.

But he did say that members of the museum's ruling body the Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Society had given support for the idea at its annual meeting.

He said: "There was general support for the idea, bearing in mind that this is very early and there is no certainty that it will happen."

A few days after the annual meeting Mr Dawson spoke to the town council and once again stressed that fundraising for the redevelopment could not happen until negotiations had taken place with the owners of the building.

Wiltshire Historic Building Trust has been trying for a number of years to pin down elusive owner Suleiman Dockrat over the future of the crumbling Assize Courts but has not had contact since 2011.

Last year Wiltshire Council renewed planning permission to turn the building into flats and a community space but there were fears this was just a paper exercise and the neglected Grade II* building would be left to rot.

In January the Gazette managed to speak to Mr Dockrat's London based agent Kamaran Mahmoud at Urban Spectrum who said at the time: "It is the owner's intention to carry out the project. He will be in London within the next couple of weeks and this will be an opportunity for us to speak to him about this.

"The market has not been conducive for the work to be carried out but maybe this is now changing."

But this discussion with Wiltshire Historic Buildings Trust did not take place.

In September Mr Dawson wrote to society members to tell them that the museum move had been mooted as part of Wiltshire Council's plans to revitalise the Wharf.

A statement at the time said: "It could be a world-class building matching the importance of its internationally significant designated collections. The building would offer more space, including a café, new library and purpose-built galleries.

"There is lots of planning work to do over the next two years before a decision can be made on whether to go ahead with the project or not, and is conditional on the building being acquired for such use.

"A major fund-raising campaign would be needed to restore the building to its former glory and create the new Museum, which could open in five to ten years’ time."