THE resting place of thousands of local documents has been voted best of its kind by users.

But the praise for the Wiltshire and Swindon Record Office comes just as it looks certain to be relocated.

Its priceless documents and books, dating back 850 years in some cases, currently occupy a former factory in Trowbridge.

Wiltshire County Council is putting the finishing touches to a bid for £10 million of lottery money for a proposed new heritage centre in Devizes, which would house the records currently stored in Trowbridge.

Users of the present office were surveyed last October as part of a consultation involving 124 such centres nationwide.

John D'Arcy, Wiltshire's principal archivist, said: Against nine comparator record offices, five of which are in the South West, the Wiltshire office came top for excellent visitor response for document delivery.

Those surveyed also gave Wiltshire a high rating for friendly, helpful and knowledgeable staff and commented on the excellent advice service.

The office houses maps, logbooks, ledgers, parish records, antique property deeds and other documents on seven miles of shelves.

Another Trowbridge archivist, Steven Hobbs said a new building would be useful because it could be specially designed to avoid exposing delicate documents to excessive heat, cold or humidity.

Swindon councillors will be discussing whether to fund a feasibility study into the relocation of the office at a meeting of the borough ratification committee Wednesday night (July 5).