DEVIZES town councillors are furious they have no power to force owners of the derelict Assize Courts building to move ahead with plans to turn it into flats.

Councillors had the chance to discuss a resubmission of a plan by Kamarran Mahmoud to turn the neglected building into a homes and a community centre but can do nothing to make him act.

The plan for the Grade II* listed court building which has been empty for 25 years was originally approved five years ago but the permission will soon lapse.

An identical proposal has now been resubmitted to Wiltshire Council. Devizes deputy town clerk Simon Fisher said: "Our hands are completely tied.

"We are desperate for one of two things to happen. Either for the owner to get on and redevelop the site himself of for him to sell it on to someone else who will do the work.

"But there is very little we can do to make this happen. We can only comment on the application from a planning point of view. Once this resubmitted plan goes ahead there will be nothing to stop them just sitting on it again for another five years.

"It is very difficult to speak to anyone involved with the owner. We did have a discussion with agents in London a few years ago but we do not even know if they are still employed by the owner."

One glimmer of hope for campaigners to get the derelict building which stands at the gateway to the town restored is that charity Wiltshire Historic Buildings Trust has bought a former garage at the back of the Assize Courts.

Mr Fisher said: "We see this as a positive step as this land will play a key part in any development."

There were fears last year that the sale of the former Ralph Merrett Motor Engineers at Lower Wharf might make it more difficult for the assize court scheme to go ahead.

At the time Wiltshire ouncillor Sue Evans told the Trust for Devizes that Wiltshire Council had no remit under which to insist that the site is developed in conjunction with the Assize Courts but the council was keen to make sure no scheme prejudiced the development of the Assize Courts.

It is understood the Wiltshire Historic Buildings Trust are now trying to arrange talks with the owners of the court building to push the plan forward.