COLCHESTER’S former bus depot looks set to be turned into a museum.

Colchester Council bought the former First Buses depot, in Queen Street, last year and has unveiled plans turn it into The Wonderhouse.

A number of “internationally significant” artefacts, which are in storage because there is no place for them at Colchester Castle Museum, will go on show.

The Wonderhouse will be on the first floor and there will also be up to six shops and a cafe on the ground floor, with indoor and outdoor seating.

The ambitious project will be paid for partly by selling the Museum Resource Centre, in Ryegate Road, and from grants from organisations such as the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Tim Young, councillor responsible for culture, said the idea for the scheme came about after he visited the Museum Resource Centre.

He said: “The Museum Resource Centre is not fit for purpose.

“The working conditions are not great, so we made the strategic decision that we needed to get our staff out of there.

“There are a number of things stored away that should be on display.

“Rather than have them hidden away it would be better to have them on display – they belong to the people of Colchester.”

Details of what will be displayed have not been released to the public.

However, Colchester Council has paintings, stuffed animals and a wealth of historic artefacts in storage, including clocks from the former Tymperleys Museum.

Visitors will be able to watch museum preservation staff at work at the Wonderhouse.

Mr Young said the council would not be able to fund the project itself, adding: “The plans are ambitious and obviously, we need money from other sources.

“It ticks the boxes for the Heritage Lottery Fund and if we put a decent bid together, I would be confident.

“It will add to the Colchester offering and we think the people of Colchester will support it.”

The projected costs of the project have not been published.

It is proposed the Wonderhouse will be run as a commercial venture eventually.

The plans will initially be put to a meeting of Colchester Council’s revolving investment fund committee on Monday, when members are also expected to rubber- stamp the plans to sell the Museum Resource Centre.

The agenda for the meeting also points out the Roman Wall, which runs between the site and Priory Street car park, is hidden at the moment.

As part of the new scheme it will be viewable from the first floor of the Wonderhouse.