RESIDENTS are noticing the gradual transformation of their market town - with part of the facelift winning national recognition with an excellence award.

And council leaders say the best is yet to come as they forge ahead with a £4m New Heart project aimed at reviving the fortunes of Chester-le-Street.

The Front Street environmental improvement scheme took the Large Urban Regeneration top prize in the Interpave/PSLG awards for Durham County Council's in-house design team.

The £960,000 project, designed, supervised and built by the county council - working in partnership with Chester-le-Street District Council - was presented with the award at the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors in London.

It is the third phase of improvements aimed at regenerating the town centre and making it more people-friendly.

David Battensby, the design engineer who received the award, said: "This is a perfect example of working in partnership with the client, Chester-le-Street District Council, the contractor Service Direct - the county council's construction arm - and the community of Chester-le-Street to provide added value."

And now funding for the fourth phase up to Ropery Lane and at Bridge End has been secured, with work expected to start within weeks.

The award-winning third phase was completed between January and July and was funded by Chester-le-Street District Council, One NorthEast and the County Council's Urban Renaissance budget.

Judges for the award said the project, which was on a shortlist of seven contenders, was an excellent winner.

They said: "This is an ambitious scheme which was made to work well with a real impact on the local economy.

"The attention to detail is impressive with excellent handling of level changes at crossings and use of ramps at shops to aid disabled people.

"Design elements have been considered individually to suit specific needs rather than used with a broad-brush approach."

The scheme, which also takes in South Burns, makes extensive use of block paving and road narrowing to limit and slow traffic with wider footways for pedestrians and raised tables at some road crossings to provide a gateway effect to the semi-pedestrianised areas.

Street furniture has been updated using the St Cuthbert emblem on bollards, litter bins and seating, while new seating areas and cycle racks, internally lit bus shelters, improved street lighting and new finger post direction signs have been provided.

A heritage trail has been developed with metal discs in footways denoting the route.

District council planning chief Tom Watson said: "The most exciting part of the project is yet to come. It will be the creation of the new Civic Heart between the Market Place and Bridge End and the new market area with new stalls.

"Work on the final stage of the scheme, which will be led by the district council, begins in February and includes lighting historic structures such as the Viaduct and the Methodist Church and art features by Jo Fairfax."

District council regeneration improvement manager George Mansbridge said: "The regeneration project is going to make a real difference in supporting the economy of the town centre, making it sustainable.

"It is not just about collection shops, but about it being the heart of the community where people want to live and learn."

Mr Mansbridge said a key element of the plans would be the creation of a £1.3m enterprise and learning centre at the Mechanics Institute, which will be become a linchpin for the future of town center and will include a childcare centre.

Other aspects of the project include an information and shopmobility centre, a redeveloped volunteer centre and Fine Bank Community Woodland - the management of the Cong Burn woodland that goes into the centre of the town.

District council chief executive Roy Templeman said: "This is not just about the physical improvement of the town. It is about providing a range of services that will be helpful to local people and generating employment.

"And it is about giving business confidence to people who own properties in the town - to bring forward development schemes to make further improvements.

"We want to see the town centre improve significantly for the benefit of local residents and visitors alike.

"This is a major step forward. And I believe we will see more regeneration as a consequence of it."