DEVELOPER St Modwen has bought Billingham town centre for £14.25m ahead of a revamp of shops, leisure and business facilities.

The town centre is more than 322,000 sq ft of retail and ancillary office space, which includes tenants such as Boyes Department Store, Asda and Boots, as well as 46 residential flats.

Stockton Council’s cabinet member for regeneration and transport, councillor Mike Smith, welcomed the deal as part of wider improvements to the town.

He said: “It is an exciting time for businesses, shoppers, residents and visitors to Billingham Town Centre.

“The new combined library and customer service centre will be complete early in the New Year and the recent public realm improvements have really made a difference to the look and feel of the town. Meanwhile, on the edge of the town people can enjoy the recent improvements to John Whitehead Park and works are progressing on a new extra care facility.

“This latest announcement about St. Modwen taking over ownership is another vote of confidence in the town.”

Richard Bannister, development manager at St Modwen, said: "The centre is very important to the people of Billingham and the surrounding area.

"We look forward to progressing with our vision to further regenerate it and attract new businesses, but also ensure that existing businesses can strengthen and grow."

Bannister added that the company plans to expand on the work that has already been carried out in the town recently, including new lighting, street furniture and paving, as well as the £2.7m redevelopment of former council offices to create a new library and customer service centre.

St Modwen is regenerating the Waterdale Shopping Centre in Doncaster, which has reported a rise in both footfall figures and the number of retailers since the company took ownership of the site in late 2013.