DETAILS have emerged of how a Teesside town will be transformed in a £20m redevelopment.

An artist's impression has been released, along with details of the scheme in the heart of Thornaby.

A date has also been set for work to begin after planning permission was granted last month.

Developers Thornfield Properties will start work on creating 135,000sq ft of new and re-modelled space early next year.

The building and town space will mean Thornaby town centre will be in excess of 250,000sq ft.

The town centre will retain the Asda superstore and Lidl has signed up for a new 17,545sq ft food store.

The Pavilion Leisure Centre will stay and there are plans for more than 30 retail units surrounding the re-modeled St Peter's Square.

Well-known buildings Wrightson House and the Golden Eagle Hotel will be maintained with selected parts of the existing estate being refurbished.

The leisure centre and the bowls club will also remain open.

A block of 59,150sq ft is planned opposite Wrightson House for retail units and 10,000sq ft of office space will be built in an attempt to regenerate the town.

Ian Sanderson, senior development executive at Thornfield Properties, said: "The project has been designed to reflect the needs and requirements of the local community and will revolutionise Thornaby.

"Everything from shopping to working and living in the area will be enhanced with new retailers and improved business space being made available." He said the company was working with Stockton Borough Council, the Thornaby Regeneration Partnership and community groups on the scheme.

Stockton borough councillor Ian Dalgarno, who represents the ward as a Thornaby Independent, said there has been excitement in the town about the development.

He said: "People are very upbeat about it. We had scheme after scheme put forward but we held out for a quality scheme and we've got one.

"This is long overdue for Thornaby."