A VISION for the future of a market town is to be unveiled later this month.

Consultants have produced a 25-year plan for Bedale, featuring proposals to revamp the market place and railway station and improve the town's famous harbour by Bedale Beck with the introduction of a harbourmaster.

Other proposals include better parking with picnic areas for residents and visitors, a much extended beck side promenade, enhanced tourist information facilities and a new northern gateway to the town with improved car and coach parking.

One of the ideas is for a Renaissance waterside park linking the railway with the town centre.

A Town Team of 72 residents, business people and councillors was set up to develop the vision over the last eight months. Focus groups were formed to concentrate on specific aspects of community life so that the team could develop a strategy for how the town may cope with the changes it faces.

These include a possible new northern relief road, increased car ownership, access to shopping centres outside the immediate area and the planned re-opening of Bedale Station later this year.

John Laity, chairman of Bedale Chamber of Trade and Tourism, said: "This is a vision for the future. It is how we would like see Bedale developing and gives us a positive view of things.

"It could affect planning, it could affect possible grants, it could affect all sorts of things.

"The plan is about improving tourism and business potential - making Bedale a destination for tourists so that instead of a short stay or just coming into town and driving off again, people stay for a long time because there is more to offer."

The plan was put together by Yorkshire Urban Designers and Planning Consultancy, Spawforth Associates, as part of Yorkshire Forward's Renaissance Market Towns programme.

It will be launched at Bedale Hall on April 26 at 6.30pm. Organisers say everyone is welcome to join in the debate.