FITNESS entrepreneur Duncan Bannatyne has submitted the proposals he hopes will play a major part in revitalising his home town.

He has made an application to Darlington Borough Council for a major extension of the Bannatyne Health and Fitness Club, on Haughton Road.

If approved, the development would increase and improve facilities at the club, as well as bring jobs to the area.

The Haughton Road area is already in line for an unprecedented revamp, with Darlington College of Technology about to relocate there in a £30m move.

Bannatyne Fitness's head office will be housed in the former regional electricity board building.

A spokesman for the company said yesterday: "There will be further plans to bring that site to life.

"It is a redundant bit of land which has never really been developed with such creative flair before."

Mr Bannatyne, one of the North-East's richest men, announced earlier this year that he would be keeping his base in Darlington, ending rumours that he could leave for Durham.

Speculation was mounting following his withdrawal from the edge-of-town Morton Palms development.

He was involved in a dispute with town planners over whether the JJB Sports chain should be given permission to build a £6m Soccerdome nearby.