COUNCIL chiefs are facing a nervous wait to discover if a £2.2million funding bid will be approved to transform Poole Museum.

An application has been made with The National Lottery Heritage Fund to develop the High Street area into an "outstanding cultural centre and a modern vibrant arts and community hub".

BCP Council secured permission from its own planning department for the works, which include remodelling and alterations to the museum and investment in the public space surrounding the building.

The research and development work carried out to date on the project was financed through a The National Lottery Heritage Fund award in December 2019.

The museum has since applied for the funding to carry out the rest of the project, with the result expected in January 2022.

Councillor Beverley Dunlop, BCP Council portfolio holder for culture and vibrant places, said: “We are delighted with the work completed so far on this inspiring and transformational community and cultural project in the heart of Poole and are very much looking forward to the next round of announcements from the National Lottery Heritage Fund in the New Year.”

The local authority said the visitor and resident experience at Poole Quay and the Old Town will be enhanced by the project.

Included in the Our Museum project is major conservation and restoration work on The Wool Hall, a Grade I listed building located near Poole Museum and one of Europe’s most significant medieval port buildings.

The public will also be able enjoy new maritime galleries which will be co-created by the museum team and communities, all part of an effort to "rediscover" the town’s maritime heritage.

The project is part of BCP Council’s Big Plan, one strand of which is to rejuvenate Poole, delivering a mix of housing, business, hospitality and culture to the heart of the Old Town and the Quay.