PLANS to turn one of Wickham's most historic landmarks into a museum and heritage centre were yesterday submitted to county council chiefs.

An international delegation of academics and museum workers calling themselves the Chesapeake Action Group have spent the past two months working on the project.

Yesterday they hand-delivered their proposals to open the water mill to the public by turning it into an American naval museum.

The consortium, including the National Maritime Museum and Hampshire Mills Group, would also like the heritage centre to be used by schools for historical projects.

The building already has close links with the American Navy. Beams and other material used to build the mill in 1820 were salvaged from the USS Chesapeake, captured during a trade war with the British in 1812.

St Andrew's University archaeologist Dr Robert Prescott has studied the use of ship timbers in buildings worldwide and described the mill as being of international significance.

"Our proposal is to conserve and interpret this extraordinary monument in a museum and heritage centre.

"It's an astonishing building of international significance as the war of 1812 between England and America is often forgotten."

Dr Prescott believes they have drawn up a convincing business plan showing the project is financially viable too.

The fate of the Bridge Street Grade II listed building will be sealed on October 16 - six months after the county council put it on the market.

In April the council invited potential buyers to put in offers after announcing it would sell the lease because it could not afford the mill's £1m repair bill.

Another bid that has already been put forward is to use the mill for the storage, restoration and distribution of antiques and furniture.

Any commercial operator will be forced to keep the derelict mill's historical features intact.