A RANGE of ideas have been unveiled for the future of a North Yorkshire market town.

The group Pickering 2020 has come up with a series of visions for the town, which it has now presented to local community leaders.

The team has challenged local people to get behind the 89 suggested projects and help take them forward.

The ideas are the culmination of months of work by a dozen people as part of the Renaissance Market Towns Initiative, supported by regional development agency Yorkshire Forward and Leeds-based consultants Scott Wilson, and following consultation with residents.

Chairwoman Debbie Aubrook said realistic suggestions had been put forward to boost the town's economic performance and to ensure that Pickering, as a "rural capital", was a place where people wanted to live and visit.

One idea is for a multi-activity community park for use by people of all ages on a 22-acre former plant nursery site. There could be a golf driving range, jogging tracks, zip line and playgrounds.

Proposals for an old coalyard area include a 60,000sq ft shopping area with a new supermarket, offices and business space, a wetlands visitor centre, and a relief road round its southern side to ease traffic pressure through the town centre.

Other ideas include the creation of incubator business units, pedestrianisation of the market place and improving gateways to the town.