PLANS for a massive leisure development, to include a £50m golf course that would be the biggest in the UK, will be unveiled next week.

The project would transform Rockcliffe Hall estate, in Hurworth Place, near Darlington, bringing an 18-hole championship course, as well as a five-star hotel and a luxury residential development.

And the vision for the future will be revealed to villagers at a public meeting in Hurworth Grange Community Centre, on Monday.

After residents have studied the proposals, a detailed planning application will be submitted to Darlington Borough Council the following day.

The overall package will be submitted by Rockcliffe Hall Developments, but it emerged last October that Middlesbrough Football Club was strongly involved in the drawing up of the golf course blueprint.

The Premiership club recently acquired 400 acres of farmland near its £7m training complex in the village and wants the golf facilities to represent "the last word in sport".

The proposed course could create up to 250 jobs and eclipse the 7,100-yard Wynyard, course, near Billingham, Teesside.

But the other aspects of the development would involve further millions of pounds being invested and the possibility of even more jobs.

The development would be on the site of Rockcliffe Hall, a grade II-listed building, derelict since the football club bought the estate from the Order of St John of God, in 1996.

The club received permission in 2000 to convert the hall into a hotel, but did not go ahead with the work.

Monday's public meeting will take place between 4pm and 6pm, and is open to residents of Hurworth Place, Hurworth and Croft.

Warwick Brindle, spokesman for Rockliffe Hall Developments, said: "This is very exciting news for Rockliffe Hall and we are very much looking forward to communicating our vision for the site with the local people of Hurworth to find out their thoughts and views on our proposals."

Mr Brindle said: "Hurworth is an active community and we welcome the input of local people in what is a fantastic opportunity for the development of one of the area's most beloved historical landmarks."