THE idea of a village visitor attraction and heritage centre, which was first explored two years ago, looks set to get off the ground fairly quickly following the signing of a 25-year lease.

In 1999, community-based trust Middleton Plus floated the possibility of using the first floor above the Co-op store in Middleton in Teesdale to establish the attraction. This followed consultation about what the residents of upper Teesdale would like to see happen in their area.

Three main recommendations which came out of the appraisal were the need for a wet-weather attraction to encourage people to stay in the dale, and therefore contribute to the local economy; the need for redundant buildings to be brought back into use; and the need to keep the upper dale a viable and cohesive community.

Middleton Plus raised £15,000 to pay for a feasibility study, during which consultants looked at the viability of operating a centre addressing all those concerns. The upper floor of the building leased by the Co-op looked the best option.

The trust was granted £212,000 from the single regeneration budget challenge fund in 1999, part of which was earmarked for the new attraction. It also received grant aid from the European regional development fund.

However, despite being granted planning permission by Teesdale District Council later that year, negotiations over the lease have been long and complex, involving three parties, and only now has Middleton Plus announced the signing of the lease for the first and second floors of 9-11 Chapel Row.

Chairman, Alison Race, said: "We are very pleased that we can now actually start work on this project, which we are confident will become an asset to the upper dale."

Local companies had been invited to tender for the conversion work and she hoped work would start soon.

Co-ordinator, Judith Mashiter, felt now the lease was sorted things would go ahead quickly. Completion of the first phase, which involved structural refurbishment of the building, should be later this year.

Initial discussions had been held with various groups who might wish to be involved in developing the concept and in implementing aspects of the heritage interpretation. Detailed planning would now begin in earnest, with a view to opening the centre to the public early next year.