For generations of Buddies, the three buildings have been at the centre of public life.

Now, if ambitious proposals are given the green light tomorrow, Paisley's historic but faded town hall, museum and library will be the focus of a £30m cultural renaissance for the town.

Public-private partnership Paisley Vision hopes to transform the trio of Victorian buildings into a linked town-centre development that will serve the artistic and creative needs of local people, as well as attracting visitors from across Scotland.

Most of the money, which the organisation hopes will be raised from grants, trusts and private finance, will be spent on refurbishing the buildings, which have suffered from a lack of investment in recent years and on updating facilities.

Currently, some of the museum's most valuable artefacts, such as the Arbuthnott Missal, one of Scotland's oldest religious pieces which dates back to 1492, are locked away in vaults due to lack of suitable exhibition space.

Award-winning Glasgow architects Page/Park have drawn up plans to relocate the town's library to a wing of the town hall, with the existing museum and library building being transformed into a culture centre, complete with modern exhibition space and interactive family history centre.

A 175-seat theatre, suitable for performance and cinema would also be built, as well as a new concourse and a spine linking the site to the Paisley Observatory for the first time.

A new off-site storage centre for artefacts not in use is also part of the proposal.

The first stage of the development would be a full upgrade of Paisley Town Hall, at a cost of £7m.

The building, completed in 1882, is currently used as a venue for events such as concerts and conferences, but the "outdated" facilities require modernisation.

A report outlining the proposals will be presented to Renfrewshire Council's planning and economic development policy board tomorrow.

According to Renfrewshire Council leader Derek Mackay, who is also chairman of the Paisley Vision board, it marks the beginning of a push to boost the town's confidence as well as its arts output.

Mr Mackay said: "The town is buzzing with culture. However, over the years it has been acknowledged that there has been significant under-investment in these three buildings.

"These are radical plans that we believe will help turn Paisley's fortunes around, but I don't think for one minute they are merely a pipe dream.

"I believe this report can form the basis for a discussion with funding partners such as Historic Scotland and the Heritage Lottery Fund in creating a nationally important centre for culture here in the town.

"This plan will help Paisley back on the cultural map."

The town hall, also known as the George A Clark Town Hall, was funded by the Clark family, the owners of the Anchor thread mill. In response, their main competitor in the production of thread in the town, Sir Peter Coats, funded the building of the equally grand Paisley Museum and Library in 1871.

The trio of grand buildings stand as a memorial to the power, influence and success of the textile industry in the town, the fifth-biggest in the country.

Mr Mackay added the plan would benefit the town both economically and culturally.

He said: "I believe it will contribute to the continuing regeneration of the town centre, creating new jobs and increasing the number of visitors attracted by a wider range of cultural offerings."