The controversial project to renovate Hitchin Town Hall is finally nearing completion, council chiefs confirmed this week.

The Comet: Hitchin Town HallHitchin Town Hall (Image: Archant)

The renovation of the Brand Street landmark to create a new community venue and district museum has been dogged by architectural disputes, budget overspends, and ill-feeling.

The next chapter in the life of the 1901 building, which replaced the original 1840 town hall across the road now home to Ivory nightclub, has been bedevilled by disagreement between the community company originally formed to run the new-look venue and North Herts District Council.

In March councillors agreed to find an extra £253,392 to push through the project, and it was revealed that in the likely event of Hitchin Town Hall Ltd not being able to find the £490,000 originally committed it would mean a total bill of some £743,392 to be met from the public purse.

But the major construction phase of the new North Hertfordshire Museum to the right of the familiar Hitchin Town Hall building is now complete.

Hoardings which have shrouded the site for months have now been removed and staff are already at work to make sure the two floors of space will be ready for an autumn opening date.

State-of-the-art displays will show hundreds of objects from the old Hitchin and Letchworth museum collections and an entrance gallery will focus on the history of North Herts from prehistoric times.

A number of interactive exhibits are planned and a temporary exhibition gallery will allow museum staff to showcase objects from national collections.