A REGENERATION plan for a North Yorkshire market town has been unveiled in a public exhibition following a series of major job losses.

Hambleton District Council is part of a task force that has been set up to respond to the closure of two of Northallerton’s biggest employers - the prison and Rural Payments Agency (RPA) – resulting in the loss of about 500 jobs.

The council held the Central Northallerton Master Plan exhibition with representatives of its own and from developer IBI Taylor Young at the Golden Lion today (Thursday, February 20).

Planning policy and development officer Andrew McCormack outlined the plans to the steady stream of local residents who attended the event, but stressed they were still at a concept level and were open to debate.

On the current site of the prison, the southern side has been set aside for a food store and car park, with the northern side of the prison being discussed by English Heritage with a view to making it a heritage site.

The buildings would then be retained but there are plans for a hotel and family-style pub to be put in place.

On the site of the RPA offices a housing development for active and independent elderly people has been proposed.

A base for Northallerton Fire Station would be retained with the possibility of it moving in the future.

Mr McCormack said: “These are all ideas that have been put on the table to be debated. We have to start somewhere.

“We have been approached by supermarket names who are interested in Northallerton; and our research has shown that housing for elderly people that are still able to live independently is needed as we have an aging population.”

A woman from Northallerton, who did not want to be named, said she supported the idea for the elderly housing but questioned whether the town needed another supermarket.

She said: “My mother lived in housing close to town and she loved being able to get to the shops easily.

“If there is to be another food store it should have a fuel station that is competitively priced.”

Mr McCormack added: “To help ease traffic flow in Northallerton plans for a bridge across the railway line are due to be submitted to the council in May.

“The bridge would provide a link between the A167 Darlington Road and the A684 Stokesley Road to the north of the town, and stop HGVs and through traffic getting congested in Bullamoor Road and Friarage Street.”

For more information view the draft proposals at www.hambleton.gov.uk/centralnorthallerton.