PLANS for a £20m development at one of the country's top independent schools could provide a welcome boost to the area.

Yarm School is hoping Stockton Borough Council's planning committee gives the go-ahead to its proposals to expand the facilities on the site.

Plans include a 750-seater auditorium, performance centre, new teaching facilities, dining hall, all-weather sports pitch and expansion to the fitness suite.

Headteacher David Dunn said the decision to expand came after the school was refused permission last year to move to a 120-acre site at Town End Farm, off the A67, on the outskirts of the town near Stockton.

At the time he said he was "dismayed and bewildered" at the decision to turn down the £50m project on the grounds that it failed to compile with regional and national policies.

But now he is looking forward to what he describes as "absolutely fantastic" plans.

He said: "For about the last eight years we have been working hard on a project to upgrade the main facilities.

"Obviously the plan was to move to a new site but a year ago we were refused permission so in the end we decided not to appeal and chose commit ourselves fully to Yarm and improve our current site.

"Quite a lot of people asked us to stay when we were looking at moving and I don't think we fully realised the impact it would have had on the town.

"Local businesses have told us how important is for them that we decided to stay as our parents, even those who live outside the area, bring in a lot of trade for them.

"Hopefully our development will provide a boost for them too.

"We have a beautiful site here, especially with the River Tees running through the middle and so we are going to focus a lot on developing the land overlooking the river."

Mr Dunn said he hoped everyone would be able to benefit from the facilities, in particularly the auditorium, which he said would attract top class performers to the region.

He said: "This is a fantastic £20m project, which will be full of wonderful facilities. The 750-seater auditorium will be absolutely fantastic. It will be part of a performance centre, which will include a music suite and performing arts centre.

"We have received a lot of support for these plans and if we get approval we plan to use local contractors and materials. We want to help the local economy as much as possible.

"This is wonderful opportunity for the school and we want to make the site the best we possibly can, whilst protecting the local wildlife and promoting the river."

The plans will go before councillors at Stockton Borough Council's planning committee this Wednesday The scheme is recommended for approval by planning officers and if it is given the go-ahead the school will begin work during the Summer holidays.

Although parts of the project will be finished in stages, it is expected to be completed in Easter 2011.