A community leader has told of plans that he says will transform a town.

Leader of Derwentside District Council Alex Watson said 2001 will see the 'renaissance of Stanley' because of three major proposed developments.

He outlined proposals for a £50m to £100m leisure, housing and shopping project planned at King's Head Fields, a new multi-million pound swimming pool planned for the Louisa Centre and a new bus station.

Coun Watson explained one company was 'extremely interested' in the King's Head site and said that the public would be consulted on the issue within the next six months.

He added that the council was expecting to know if the national lottery was prepared to hand over £3.5m for a new swimming pool by April.

The council will postpone any final decision on the bus station until the King's Head development plans are clear.

The authority has been criticised over the closure of the Burns swimming pool (where the King's Head development would take place). Campaigners argued the council should not have closed the baths. The council has had three previous bids for lottery cash refused.

Coun Watson said Consett and Stanley had both suffered in recent years because of the MetroCentre, which cost the towns about two thirds of their trade when it first opened. But now he believes Stanley is on the verge of a renaissance.

He said: "We have a company which is extremely interested in the King's Head development, although I can't give details at this stage.

"Plans like this often change but I am sure we will be going to the public to ask their views in the coming months.

"People tell me that it has taken a long time to get things done at Stanley. My answer to them is we must get this right.

"We won't rush into anything but it seems our plans are finally coming together."

Maureen Storey, of Stanley Action Group Enterprise, welcomed the developments, but said people are keen to learn more details.

Mrs Storey organised public meetings in 1998 in frustration at the perceived lack of development in Stanley.

She said much of what Coun Watson has stated is good news, but some of the finer points need assessing.

"From what we understand there seems to be a lot of housing developments included in the plans. We have so many new housing areas going up yet we haven't got the town centre to cope."

She added: "We want to work with the council, that's the only way we will get anything done."