Council chiefs say saving Bath's remaining gasometer from demolition would torpedo the building of around 800 homes in the heart of the city.

The Mayor of Bath, Bryan Chalker, is trying to rally support for the idea of turning the structure at Windsor Bridge into a concert venue or museum.

The last gasholder is facing demolition so that the rest of the Bath Western Riverside area can be developed for housing, and to remove safety fears clouding other schemes.

Mr Chalker, who is Bath and North East Somerset Council's heritage champion, floated his idea in a letter to The Bath Chronicle earlier this month.

He said examples in Austria, Ireland and Germany showed the potential of reusing the metal structures, of which there were once three in Bath.

But the council itself said that the riverside zone is an important part of its strategy to tackle the district's homes shortage, and part of the Bath City Riverside enterprise area which it says will help regenerate the local economy and create new jobs.

The council is formally committed through an agreement with developer Crest Nicholson to the full implementation of a programme which includes the construction of almost 2,000 homes, with a school and other facilities.

It said: "Retaining the remaining gasholder would seriously undermine the ability to deliver a large portion of the regeneration scheme.

"Although impossible to judge without detailed plans, about 800 homes could not be built if a concert hall or similar facility were to be provided in a retained gasholder, along with the necessary access and parking facilities."

City MP Don Foster said he has long thought that the gasholder, which dates back to 1926, should be kept, possibly as a base for creative businesses.

But he acknowledged that there were "enormous obstacles" to the plan that might stop it ever coming to fruition.

Mr Foster, who has offered to call a meeting to discuss the idea, said: "I am extraordinarily conscious of the obstacles that would have to be overcome but I urge people to remember the pleasure we get from Green Park Station.

"The notion of using Bath's history for the future is an important one. It may well be impossible to save it, but I don't want it to go by default, without us having considered the matter."

Mr Chalker said his letter had sparked "a huge wave of support from some unlikely sources".

The idea is also being supported by B&NES chairman councillor Peter Edwards.