THE final touches are being put to plans to transform the centre of Chester-le-Street with £12m of investment.

The project is among the biggest ever to be undertaken the town.

It will involve creating a new civic heart, a heritage trail, a community woodland out of the Great North Wood and redeveloping the main shopping street and market.

George Mansbridge, head of economic development at Chester-le-Street District Council, said the project would completely change the face of the town.

He said: "This is a major capital investment looking at how the town centre looks.

"The idea is to create a much more attractive town centre where people would choose to come and live and shop."

A lot of the redevelopment work will begin in September and work is expected to continue over the next two years.

One of the first schemes will involve redeveloping the market place and turning it into a more specialist market, with arts and craft stalls.

The council has commissioned a Sheffield engineering company to create stalls which will be given to traders to try out for next three or four weeks.

Once they have settled on a design popular with market holders and customers they will install permanent stalls with canopies.

Some of the 232 stalls will be removed; they are underused and taking them away will prevent the market looking empty.

Another project at the top of the council's agenda is creating a focal point for the town, in front of Chester-le-Street Methodist Church.

There are plans to install art work, seating and space for venues such as concerts.

Mr Mansbridge said: "We're in the process of putting together a final design. It will be quite spectacular really."

Other plans include creating a heritage trail through the town.

Ancient coins dug up in Chester-le-Street will be recreated and set in the pavement to lead people on the route, which will look at the town's Roman, Anglo Saxon and industrial past.

Woodland in the town is also to be cleaned up and paths established.

Engineers and designers are currently drawing up plans for the town's various strands of redevelopment.

Although the council has gathered opinions from community groups and schools, a large public exhibition with the proposals is expected to be mounted some time in June or July.