UP to 800 jobs could be created by a £50m designer outlet village planned for Scotch Corner.

Draft plans have been drawn up for the 250,000 sq ft complex featuring 90 stores selling goods from top international brands, as well as restaurants and cafes.

Scotch Corner LLP, the company behind the scheme, said it was seeking to emulate the success of Bicester Village, in Oxfordshire, by attracting designer clothing retailers including Armani, Prada and Gucci.

Simon Waterfield, from Scotch Corner LLP, said: "We have been looking at this site for some time and our retail specialists have undertaken extensive research which has concluded that Scotch Corner is ideally located and accessible to a significant customer catchment in the North of England and beyond.

"The site is highly visible and we expect around two-thirds of customers to be passers-by on the A1(M).”

The greenfield site, which is adjacent to the Scotch Corner junction of the A1(M), already has planning permission for warehouses and offices.

Preliminary discussions have taken place with officials from Richmondshire District Council.

A public consultation will now take place ahead of a new planning application being submitted later this summer.

If the plans are approved, it is hoped the complex will open in 2016.

Mr Waterfield added: “The region does not adequately cater for top international brands such as Polo Ralph Lauren, Gucci, Prada, Lacoste, Hugo Boss, Dior, Calvin Klein and Armani.

"We aim to bring global brands like these to around 90 purpose-built outlet shops along with restaurants and cafes to create a superb retail destination.

"We are looking forward to discussing our plans locally and hope that as many people as possible will visit our public exhibition or our dedicated website.

"We would like to hear as much feedback as possible before finalising our plans.”

Jeff Downes, director at architects Corstorphine and Wright, which have been commissioned to design the outlet village, said: “Our objective is to create a very high quality shopping environment which reflects the local architecture of the area as well as including hard and soft landscaping which will provide a mature and pleasant setting from the outset.”

Councillor John Blackie, leader of Richmondshire District Council, said the scheme would complement the shopping complex being built at Catterick Garrison and would help to stop people spending their money out of the district.

He added: "I absolutely welcome the interest being shown by these fantastic retail developers in offering this shopping experience.

"They have centred on a site that hasn't attracted other attention in the five years it has been marketed - it couldn't be better just as the A1(M) is being widened to three lanes."

Details of the proposal can be viewed at scotchcornerdesignervillage.com from July 3.

Public exhibitions on the scheme will be held at Richmond Town Hall on Thursday, July 10 between 2pm and 8pm; at Middleton Tyas Memorial Hall on Thursday, July 11 between 2pm and 8pm and at the Holiday Inn at Scotch Corner on Saturday, July 15 between 9am and 1pm.