PLANS to create an eco- village on a former cement works site could be boosted by a £25m outdoor training and conference centre.

Durham County Council has teamed up with training charity Endeavour to bid for Lottery funding to build the development, on the former Lafarge site, in Eastgate, near Stanhope, County Durham.

A bid for £20m has been submitted to the National Lottery but the plans have not yet been shown to the Upper Weardale Task Force.

The centre was not included in a master plan circulated in Weardale by the task force last year.

But supporters say it would fit perfectly into the overall vision for the village, which would link sustainable energy with research and education in a visitor attraction bigger than the Eden Project, in Cornwall.

The activity and conference centre would be called The Watershed and would be unique in the country, attracting 10,000 young people a year and creating jobs.

Students would learn skills through conservation projects, rural crafts, ICT, photography and drama, as well as experiencing a range of outdoor activities such as rock climbing, caving, high ropes, water sports and mountain biking.

The centre would be managed by the council's Outdoor and Sustainability Education Service, in partnership with Endeavour, which specialises in the education of 14 to 19-year-olds through outdoor and residential education.

The council has promised that people living in Weardale will be consulted about the centre's design.

County council leader Ken Manton said: "The need to further develop the quality of outdoor education has been recognised by the county council and Endeavour Training for some time.

"The redevelopment of the Lafarge Cement Works site at Eastgate is an important opportunity for the region, to provide a unique attraction of national and international significance.

"This will not only redress the economic balance following the job losses when the cement works closed, but also provide Weardale with a new landmark, which could attract as many visitors as Beamish Museum.

"If this bid is successful, the benefits for local people and the economy will be huge."

Les Roberts, chief executive of Endeavour Training, said: "Positioned within such a unique attraction, The Watershed will be a beacon for sustainable development and outdoor education."

A decision on the Lottery bid is expected in May.

Iain Phillips, chief executive of Wear Valley District Council and a task force member said: "The proposed centre is an interesting suggestion, but it will need to be considered by the task force to see whether or not it has a place in the master plan together with all the other competing demands for the site."