PLANS have been unveiled for a new art gallery focussing on the Spanish Golden Age in the centre of a North-East town.

The former Barclay’s Bank building in Bishop Auckland’s Market Place has been earmarked for the £4m gallery.

The project, which aims to raise the profile as an academic and tourist hub, is the brainchild of philanthropist Jonathan Ruffer, who bought Auckland Castle in 2012.

The castle is home to the famous Zurbaran paintings.

It is hoped the gallery will attract loans international public and private collections from the Museo del Prado, in Madrid, Spain, which holds the biggest collection of paintings by some of Spain’s greatest artists including Zurbarán, El Greco, Goya, Ribera and Velázquez.

The Prado’s deputy director, Gabriele Finaldi, was in the region last week taking part in a Spanish art symposium when he took time out to view the site of the proposed gallery.

A planning application to convert the building is expected to be submitted to Durham County Council at the end of November.

The proposal also includes the founding of a new art research institute.

The gallery is part of a wider, long-term aspiration shared by Auckland Castle, The Bowes Museum at Barnard Castle, and Durham University to establish the county as a key international academic and tourist destination focused around the area’s rich concentration of Spanish art.

Auckland Castle, Durham University, The Bowes Museum and Durham Cathedral between them house the biggest pool of Golden Age Spanish art outside London.

Dr Chris Ferguson, Auckland Castle’s curatorial director, said: “The international profile of the existing collections, along with the new plans we are developing, will hopefully attract a new audience to the region.

“This will support the rich and diverse offering of heritage sites and museums in the North East, from Hadrian’s Wall to contemporary art at Baltic and Mima, Beamish and Durham Cathedral.”

The art gallery is the latest in a line of high profile developments announced for Auckland Castle.

These include a £17m project, backed by the Heritage Lottery Fund, to renovate the castle, the redevelopment of the walled garden and the extraction of geothermal energy.

Last month, Auckland Castle Trust paid £2m to secure the future of Binchester Roman Town after it was put up for sale by the Church Commissioners.

David Ronn, chief executive of the Auckland Castle Trust, said: “It is remarkable that for so long County Durham has had such an outstanding collection of Spanish art that hasn’t been recognised.

“Our challenge is to make Spanish art, particularly that from the Golden Age, open and accessible to all.”