WORK on a flagship industrial development in a market town can get under way after £2.35m in funding has been secured.

A series of incubator-style units will now be built on a 0.7 acre plot in the centre of Stokesley Industrial Park to house a variety of businesses.

The units will be constructed using the latest in sustainable and energy efficient features and will have a common reception area, management office and training and conference facilities.

Architects McDowell and Benedetti, of London, have drawn-up the blueprints for the project after winning a competition last year to find the scheme's design.

The competition attracted entries from across the UK and the world, including Japan, Spain and Australia.

The final piece of the funding jigsaw was put in place last week when Yorkshire Forward announced it will contribute £1.17m.

Other funding has come from the European Regional Development Fund which gave £670,043, BT gave £50,000 and Hambleton District Council donated £453,404.

Councillor Ralph Andrew, cabinet spokesman on economic development, said: "Receiving the cash from Yorkshire Forward means we can now press ahead with this project.

"The costs of creating a sustainable building are slightly higher than for a conventional building, but the lifetime costs and environmental benefits make it worthwhile.

"This development will be a great asset to Hambleton and particularly Stokesley Industrial Park. It will give us a number of starter units for new businesses."

Building work on the development is expected to begin early in the New Year.

Andy Tordoff, head of rural renaissance for Yorkshire Forward, said: "The Stokesley project will be the flagship project in our rural agenda and will be the development against which all future projects will be measured. It will be a catalyst for future developments."

Alison Biddulph, director of the European Secretariat at the Government Office for Yorkshire and the Humber, said: "This is a real bonus for Hambleton District Council and we look forward to seeing this wonderful design completed and housing new and young businesses so vital to the rural areas of North Yorkshire."