A FIVE-YEAR development plan has been drawn up with the aim of attracting thousands more visitors to a Darlington railway museum.

The draft plan highlights improvements that could be made to boost the appeal of the Darlington Railway Centre and Museum in North Road.

The local authority wants to develop the centre and museum so it attracts a wider range of visitors than its current audience, who are predominantly railway enthusiasts.

It even hopes the redevelopment will result in the facility being granted World Heritage Site status.

The aim is to provide enough variety for visitors to stay for three to four hours and strengthen Darlington's appeal as both a day visit and short break destination for groups and individuals.

Members of the council's environment and lifelong learning scrutiny committees were told this week that the vision for the centre and museum is to develop the site over a five-year period to achieve 80,000 three to four visits per year by 2006.

Museum bosses also want to develop that part of the railway heritage story appertaining to Darlington and its people.

Six key objectives will be implemented to achieve this vision and they include improving the breadth, variety and quality of attractions at the centre so it provides enough interest for at least a three-hour stay and developing the site so it appeals to all sections of the community and tourists.

The council also wants to work with neighbouring auth-orities and the National Rail-way Museum to provide effective marketing of the Stockton and Darlington Railway from North Road to Shildon.

The aim is to create a 'visitor's experience,' which will involve the visitor moving from one area to the next as each new attraction materialises.

Heritage Lottery funding will be sought and work will include improvements to the station roof, mall and main museum displays, creating a green area with fountains and band stand and creating an overspill car park.

In his report to the committee, John Buxton, the director of development and environment, says: "Overall the Darlington Railway Centre and Museum has the potential to become a premier heritage and tourism site.

"The importance of the site and artefacts, once the site is developed into a major visitor attraction with modern facilities, may make it possible to gain World Heritage Site status.