Harrogate International Centre, which operates the North Yorkshire spa town's conference centre and Royal Hall theatre, has revealed £2m expansion plans.

New meeting halls, capable of holding up to 1,600 delegates, are planned in King's Road, between a recently erected £2.6m exhibition hall and the conference centre.

The new development is seen as a key element in the town's booming conference trade.

Harrogate is currently third behind London and Glasgow in the country's top 20 conference venues. It was estimated lthat business tourism attracted more than £140m to the Harrogate area last year.

Centre bosses hope the work can start in July and be completed by autumn 2004.