The application will be considered by the NSW Heritage Council at its first meeting of 2019, in early February.

On Monday morning, Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall said it was promising news.

Earlier this month, Mr Marshall intervened to prevent the property going to public auction until the heritage listing application, made by Armidale Regional Council, was determined.

The property had been listed for auction and was already advertised on a real estate website.

Mr Marshall made an urgent request of Heritage Minister Gabrielle Upton to fast-tracking the assessment of the application, so the future use and ownership of the courthouse could be determined.

“If the Heritage Council agrees, it will make a recommendation to the Minister to list the property, which the Minister has given me an assurance she would do as quickly as possible.”

Community members had been campaigning for five years to have the heritage building gifted to residents to use as an arts and cultural hub.

Mr Marshall said it had always been his strong desire, and that of the community and council, to have the courthouse property retained in public hands.

“Now is the time for the oldest public building in Armidale, first constructed in 1860, to be properly recognised with NSW Heritage Listing and then transferred to council on behalf of the community for a peppercorn rate,” he said.