A MULTI-million pound art gallery could be bigger and better than first planned.

The £9m glass-fronted gallery has been planned for Middlesbrough town centre.

But the centrepiece building, designed by architect Erick van Egeraat, will be more impressive if an application for an extra £2m of European and Government money is successful.

Middlesbrough Mayor Ray Mallon said last night: "This will be one of the Tees Valley's keynote buildings and we want to see it at the hub of a revitalised and vibrant town centre.

"Middlesbrough needs a cultural quarter and an attraction like this, so that we can draw more people to the town.''

Plans for the development will go before Middlesbrough Council's planning committee next Friday. It is due to open in 2006.

A council spokesman said: "It could be bigger than originally anticipated but negotiations are still continuing for extra money from Europe and the Government's Single Regeneration Budget.

"We are working to select a name for the new gallery. We have had wide consultation with the public. What we are also doing is having discussions with various groups from the town.

"We are asking people what we should call the gallery and what they want to see in the new gallery.''

Mr van Egeraat is responsible for landmark buildings in Ireland, Budapest and Rotterdam.

His firm is also working on a £100m extension to the Royal Shakespeare Company building at Stratford-on-Avon.

His plan for Middlesbrough is a showpiece complex with a ten-metre high main gallery, open gallery areas, offices, collection store, education suite, a reception area and caf-bar, a 60-seat lecture theatre and a roof terrace.

It is due to be built between the town's library and the Bottle of Notes sculpture on the Boulevard, in the town centre.