PLANS to turn what has been described as "probably the finest building in the Tees Valley" into part of a cultural urban quarter have gone on display.

The six ideas to transform the Grade II-listed Middlesbrough Town Hall are designed to complement a £15m art gallery and public square to be built later this year.

Ideas from architects include a "tuning fork bridge", giving direct access to the town hall, and a multi-storey glass-fronted gallery in the courtyard.

The designs, produced as part of a competition run by the Institute of Public Policy Research, went on display at the town's Dorman Museum on Saturday.

Middlesbrough Council is to seek National Lottery funding to turn one of the designs into reality. The public are being asked for their comments before a judging panel chooses the winning design.

Stephen Stokoe, the council's head of design services, said: "We see the plans for the town hall complementing the art gallery and public square to create a civic and cultural quarter in the heart of the town.

"The town hall is probably the finest building the Tees Valley and it has great potential to play an even bigger role in the life of the conurbation.

"We want to improve facilities and access to the performance venue and make better use of a lot of space that's currently redundant."

Architects were asked to come up with designs that incorporate the work of the council at the town hall. They were also asked to find ways to improve public access to the building, which is also a concert venue.

Other ideas from designers include creating a covered public space in the courtyard and a public gallery in the council chamber.

Earlier this year the council received a £750,000 National Lottery grant to help preserve Victorian buildings and bridges around Queen's Square and the railway station. The aim is to market that area as the historic quarter.

The art gallery will cost £11m and the public square £4m. Both have been designed by Erik van Egeraat, from Rotterdam, who is regarded as one of Europe's leading architects.

The work is being funded by Middlesbrough tax-payers, regional development agency One NorthEast, the Arts Council, Northern Rock and the Government.

The designs will be on display for two weeks.

A prince, a ghost and a riot

* MIDDLESBROUGH's Gothic town hall was opened by Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) on January 23, 1889.

* Famous names to perform at the town hall include Gracie Fields, Johann Strauss, Oasis and The Clash. Clash band members walked off the stage when their song White Riot provoked a mini-riot in the late 1970s.

* Oscar the Town Hall ghost is said to make the occasional late-night appearance to weary council workers.

* The building was given Grade II-listed status in 1963.

* Middlesbrough's first town hall still stands in Stockton Street.

* The first mayor to be installed in today's town hall was grocery shop chain owner Patrick Hinton. Born in 1844, Mr Hinton was a town councillor, alderman, magistrate, Poor Law guardian and temperance leader.