HUGE PUBLIC outcry over the selling off of one of Otley's most treasured buildings has triggered the launch of a campaign to save it, it is claimed.

Otley Civic Centre, Cross Green is likely to be put up for sale by owners Leeds City Council after a decision was made by Otley Town Council to quit the building.

Those opposed to the sell off have described the town council move as 'barking', while town councillors who oppose the decision have urged their colleagues to "see sense".

Former town and city councillor and chairman of Otley Town Partnership Phil Coyne is to call a public meeting in the next two weeks to give residents the chance to share their views.

He said: "The town council have made a very unwise decision to go against what the public want, and let the building be sold off. The Civic Centre is well located and has a real presence.

"There are already well advanced plans to convert it so we are not in cloud cuckoo land here, we do know what we are looking at.

"We want to return it to its original Victorian splendour."

A new venue will have to be found or built for the town council once they leave the civic centre.

Mr Coyne said: "It will be cheaper to upgrade the existing building than to have a new one built.

"The centre is an important part of our heritage and townscape and with the restoring of the maypole nearby, it is in an increasingly charming part of town."

He added: "You just know when something is an issue with people - and the Civic Centre is one of them.

"People have come up to me in the street and said the decision the town council have made to quit the building is 'barking'."

Councillor John Eveleigh (Lab, Manor Ward) will be fully backing the campaign.

"People feel very angry that there has been no consultation on this," he said.

"We are going to hold a meeting and then take it from there but I have had loads of response already from people who want to save the building.

"I am fully behind this and I hope we can make the town councillors see sense."

Councillor Clive Fox (Con, Otley and Wharfedale) said: "I would love to see the Civic Centre restored but I would like to see the money to pay for it first.

"The civic centre is a bottomless pit I'm afraid as far as money goes.

"I am happy to consult with anyone on this, but how realistic is it to upgrade this building which isn't even owned by Otley.

"There are a lot of fundamental issues that need to be discussed before a decision is made."

Councillor Graham Kirkland (Lib Dem,) said: "This is just an election gimmick.

"Nobody is going to close the centre until a new one is built.

"Mr Coyne is quite entitled to call a meeting but on this issue no one has made any reference to the reports that have been carried out on the building."

An in-depth report on the state of the centre in December 2002 revealed a catalogue of problems including a roof in such a bad state of repair that internal repair was felt useless before work was carried out on the roof. The cost of full restoration of the building has been put at millions of pounds.

Coun Kirkland said: "It needs totally rewiring, has poor disabled access, no car parking and even with refurbishment the fact remains that the main hall is upstairs.

"Whatever you do there you can't provide the full range of services that people expect. There is no prospect whatsoever that the old building will be demolished.

"A new building would belong to the people of Otley and not to Leeds.

"No one is going to be thrown out of the building and it will not close until a new one is opened."

A survey is currently taking place by the town council asking its users what they require from the building.