The listed Assize Courts building in Devizes has been described as a sleeping beauty just waiting to be rewoken.

But the Georgian building needs a huge amount of work on it before it can be brought back into use.

The Gazette & Herald was given a glimpse inside the 1835 building last week as its owners, Gatewell, showed the public plans for its renovation and conversion at the town hall.

The building closed in the mid-1980s and has been lying derelict ever since. The former Kennet District Council served a number of maintenance orders on Gatewell and local builders Gaiger Brothers were given the responsibility of keeping the place watertight.

If you ignore the layer of bird droppings and corpses of pigeons littering the floor, the building is still recognisable as a court complex.

The central foyer, where Gatewell wants to establish a community space, is impressively large and, if you ignore the graffiti on the walls, in not too bad repair.

In the former police office, the wallpaper is peeling from the walls but the wooden shutters on the windows appear in good condition.

The main court room still looks like it dealt with serious cases. The wrought iron balustrades still delineate the jury box and the public gallery and the mouldings where the judge’s chair would have stood are still in good condition.

The floor, though, does not look safe and the steps down to the cells are still visible.

Gatewell’s plan is to create 18 apartments on three floors, while the 1,300 square foot central lobby would be leased as community space.

Gatewell agent Martin Henneberry said: “She is still a beautiful old lady just waiting to be awoken. It is a beautiful building and a wonderful testament to the man who built it, Thomas Wyatt.”

It is hoped that a planning application for the scheme, just the latest of many for the building since 1989, will be submitted to Wiltshire Council in the next few weeks and that planning permission will be approved by mid-summer.

Mr Henneberry said: “We have already done a lot of work on the project so we are fairly confident that our plan will pass muster and our sums will add up.”

Town councillor Sarah Bridewell was among those who looked over the plans for the as yet unpriced apartments on display in the Cheese Hall on Thursday.

She said: “They look very nice but my main concerns are the lack of parking and the price. I can’t see local people being able to afford flats there. Having said that, it is good to see someone willing to take the building on. I hope they keep that wonderful facade.”