THE group campaigning for the Mechanics' Institute to be restored has criticised Swindon Council for trying to take over the project.

The Evening Advertiser revealed that the council is to part-fund a feasibility study into the future of the institute.

Council leader Sue Bates called for the study into the building, which has been left in a poor state of repair for more than a decade, and said: The Mechanics' Institute Preservation Trust has done sterling work bringing everybody's attention to the building's decline.

"I now believe Swindon Council should take the lead as we discuss what the options are for restoring this important part of Swindon's history.

Members of the Mechanics' Institute Preservation Trust were initially relieved at the support. But now they say they are being treated like children.

Spokeswoman for the trust, Martha Parry, said: The tone of this statement is dismissive of the trust. We will not accept being told our services are no longer required."

The Grade II* listed building, in the Railway Village, has been destitute for the past 14 years and is now dilapidated. The preservation trust formed five years ago to protect the future for the building.

The current owner is a company called Mountmead, which is run by Gloucestershire-based Peter Lamplough. He has applied to the council for permission to turn the building into a hotel, something the trust is opposed to.

Chief executive of the council, Paul Doherty, said: The council is very sorry the trust has misunderstood our intentions. I want to reassure members of the trust and anyone else interested in the building the council will not exclude anybody, we want everybody to be involved in the debate about the future of the building.