DEVIZES resident Peter Little has started a petition to try and get the dilapidated former Assize Courts turned into a heritage centre.

Mr Little, who has lived in Devizes all his life, is dismayed that the Grade II*-listed building in Northgate Street is still standing empty nearly 20 years after it was sold off by Wiltshire County Council.

Mr Little, 54, of Bratton Avenue, said: "I have got fed up seeing the Assize Courts empty and it suddenly struck me that Devizes has not got a heritage centre containing photographs and memorabilia of Devizes.

"The museum in Long Street has some artefacts and photos but these are of Wiltshire. I have a number of photographs of how Devizes used to look and I would be willing to put them on display in a heritage centre."

Mr Little, a self employed gardener, has been in The Shambles asking people to sign his petition and so far has 60 signatures.

The Assize Courts has suffered vandalism and fires in recent years, thought to be caused by squatters.

The building is owned by Gatewell Limited, a company based in Dubai, and it has planning permission to be converted into luxury flats but nothing has yet happened.

Devizes Development Partnership is in discussion with the owner with a view to the organisation possibly buying the building.

Chairman Peter Lay said: "We are continuing dialogues with the owners and we are looking to find a way forward.

"The Assize Courts are the town's most important unresolved heritage project. We support any initiatives by the community to ensure there's an ongoing focus on how we deliver a solution to that very important building."

Mr Little has also started a petition to save Devizes Hospital and that has 115 signatures. He plans to continue gathering signatures for both petitions in the autumn.