CAMPAIGNERS appear to have won their fight to delay a decision on the location of West Somerset's new civic offices. District council leader Cllr Steven Pugsley admitted to around 400 people who packed a public meeting in Minehead on Wednesday night that the authority was unlikely to be in a position by next Wednesday to choose one of the three potential sites earmarked for the development. But while council leaders continue to stress that surveys, consultation and statistics prove that Minehead is the preferred location for the centralised offices, opponents yesterday (Thursday) exclusively unveiled to the Free Press plans for a purpose-built ultra-modern complex on the authority's existing site in Williton. Independent Cllr David Gliddon, who represents Brompton Ralph and Haddon on the council, commissioned Stockport-based architects Bowker Sadler to come up with a scheme that he believes could be delivered for just over £3.1 million. The plans would see the front of the Killick Way site redeveloped to reflect the traditional vernacular style of the existing shops and businesses in the village centre. A small market square, with limited disabled parking, would front the Fore Street side of the development, behind which would be located a mixture of commercial and residential units, with more homes towards Long Street. The three-storey council offices, pictured, would be built in front of the existing Red Cross centre and could include basement parking. The scheme would include a further 124 public parking spaces. Cllr Gliddon said although the costs could be increased by the potential lowering of the site levels, he believed it would still be within the £4 million the council has allocated for its replacement offices. "I think this would be an ideal solution and could be a prestige development. "Although the square would initially be fairly small, its size could be increased if the proposed inner relief road from Fore Street to near Mamsey House on the A39 becomes a reality. "Even as it is it would make a nice area where people could meet. There could be a café and other shops - it could become a real hub. "Keeping the council offices in Williton, coupled with the redevelopment of the site, would mean Williton would be regenerated." Copies of the plans have been given to the council, which last month confirmed that it was considering two sites in Minehead for its new centralised offices - the Aquasplash leisure centre and the Somerset County Council depot alongside the Vulcan Road car park - along with the current site in Williton. The council had previously been planning a joint venture with the county council, which would have included a new library, on the market/railway site in Minehead. But it was forced to go back to the drawing board when the county pulled out, citing public opposition as one of the reasons for its decision. Wednesday's public meeting was staged as part of a consultation process, not only on the location of the new offices but also on equally controversial plans to sell the Vulcan Road car park for a major retail development. Cllr Pugsley admitted that a previous public meeting at the Hobby Horse earlier this year - at which councillors and officers refused to answer questions, leaving a host of consultants to face the public's wrath - had been a salutary experience. But he insisted that the council was now listening to people and apologised if it had appeared as if it was not. The decision to "grasp the nettle" and centralise the offices had been taken four years ago, said Cllr Pugsley. After two years of heart-searching, Minehead had been selected as the most suitable location, not least because 30 per cent of the district's population lived within a mile of the town, compared to just eight per cent within the same distance of Williton. But county Cllr Anthony Trollope-Bellew, who represents the Watchet, Williton and Stogursey areas, made a plea for the offices to be kept in their current location. He said the majority of people in his division did not go to Minehead for their needs and warned that with local government reorganisation possibly on the horizon, the Government would consider West Somerset ripe for reform. "If a quarter of the population of West Somerset look more towards Taunton or Bridgwater, they may not wish to stay within the district under reorganisation. "If you move the offices to Minehead, you are signing the death warrant for West Somerset District Council." Bicknoller resident Jim Laflin told the meeting that to spend £4m on new offices to save £100,000 a year in running costs did not represent value for money. And he said councillors could be in no doubt as to the strength of opposition to the proposed move to Minehead. But Cllr Pugsley said no-one could dispute the need for new offices and revenue savings were by no means the whole driving force behind the proposal. And council chief executive Tim Howes told the meeting that the authority was currently operating out of seven different buildings, nine miles apart, which included a former public convenience, part of a former fire station and a former shop. "The current offices are an absolute disgrace and are not Disability Act compliant, which is also a disgrace." But Williton parish Cllr Robin Venner said, amidst all the in-fighting over potential Minehead sites, the council had the perfect answer in Williton. Cllr Venner said developing the new offices in the village would provide a catalyst for regeneration and help develop it as a business centre. "We are not a leisure centre and never will be - Minehead is for leisure. "Please let Williton have a fair shake of the hand." His views were echoed by fellow parish Cllr Diane Hooper, who said Minehead was the area for tourism. "We want to keep the offices in Williton." But the council's market towns regeneration office Peter Vallance insisted: "Whatever happens in Williton will be positive." Withycombe-based architect Louise Crossman appealed for the council to consider converting the soon to be redundant Minehead Hospital into a civic centre. She said the grade two listed building had formerly been a local government base and having new council offices in the centre of Minehead would be a very public demonstration of the council's commitment to the area. "Why not use a building that is among just one per cent of nationally important buildings in the country?" asked Mrs Crossman. But Mr Howes, although admitting it was a "gorgeous" building, said the conversion costs would be substantial, probably putting an extra £1m on the £4m project. It was also not clear when a new hospital would be built and the current building would become vacant. "It would be more expensive than new build and the running costs would also be higher," said Mr Howes. The council is expected to take a decision on where its new offices will be built within the next few weeks.