RENFREW Town Hall is going to be returned to its former glory after a huge cash injection from the Heritage Lottery.

The Gazette can reveal an £800,000 grant was announced on Monday and it will be used for a contemporary restoration and development project of the building.

It is hoped that by restoring the town hall it will become a hub for community life.

The building will be transformed into a modern public hall and museum which will tell visitors all about the town's history.

At the moment the town hall is in urgent need of repair and there is no general access for the public.

This new money will see it restored and the council are looking to have a variety of services in the foyer so it can become a place for local people and visitors.

Plans include an information point, tourist information, library access, public computer access, WiFi access and refreshments.

The new museum will mean that photographs and objects relating to the area's important role in the history of aviation can now be displayed to the public.

Renfrew was the first municipal airport in Scotland with flights beginning in 1912.

The first aircraft to cross the Atlantic both ways was built nearby and Renfrew was the third busiest airport in Britain in 1948.

Collections relating to other important local industries such as ship-building and boiler-making will also be displayed. Colin McLean, head of the Heritage Lottery Fund in Scotland, said: "As part of our new strategic plan, Renfrew is a development priority area for the Heritage Lottery Fund.

"We are working hard with lots of local people to make sure that they make the most of the heritage lottery grants available to them, so we are delighted to be able to help support such an important project as this.

"Renfrew Town Hall gives its community a heart, a symbol of history and identity that cannot be replaced.

"The Heritage Lottery Fund believes that breathing new life into it, it will not only re-establish it at the centre of community life but will also make a marked contribution to the economics of the area." Renfrewshire Council Leader Derek Mackay said: "The award of this major funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund is great news for Renfrew and is further evidence that our efforts to secure the future of this iconic part of Renfrew's heritage are making significant progress.

"Our proposals for the refurbishment and extension of Renfrew Town Hall have widespread support in the community "We want to preserve the Town hall's outstanding architectural heritage while boosting access and enhancing its role as a focal point of the community.

"This significant funding award is another big boost towards achieving that aim.

"Our long term plan to completely revamp the building is still firmly on course." Councillor Mackay added: "The town hall is a Renfrew Common Good building and there is no more effective and appropriate use of the Renfrew Common Good Fund than to assist in the restoration and indeed expansion of this much loved landmark."