AMBITIOUS plans for the long awaited £25m makeover of a town centre have taken a step forward.

Durham County Council has exchanged contracts with the developers for the land on which the new Newton Aycliffe centre will be built.

Manchester developers CTP has big plans for the 16-acre site of the former Avenue school, which has stood empty for years.

Plans include a new supermarket, other shops, a library, health centre, youth centre, drop-in centre, a family pub and open space, including two football pitches.

A new town square at the centre of the site is also proposed.

A spokesman for Durham County Council said: "We continue to make excellent progress with this scheme and as soon as some legal and technical details are finalised, it will be moving to the planning application stage."