ROADWORKS will come into place in Northallerton this month as work on the next stage of the £17million Treadmills development moves forward.

Widening of The Link – the road between East Road and Crosby Road – will mean traffic restrictions from January 13.

The Link will be one way westbound for at least six weeks while the new road is constructed.

Once that work is completed, laybys will be created in Crosby Road and new lights installed on the Link – during this time two way traffic, controlled by lights, is expected.

Crosby Road and the footpaths will also be resurfaced.

The former prison site is being re-invented as Treadmills – a retail, leisure and business destination - by CNDCL, a joint venture formed by property developer Wykeland Group and Hambleton District Council. Yorkshire based contractor Castlehouse Construction has been appointed to deliver the first phase of the scheme, which is focused on the development of retail units and a car park on the south side of the site.

Councillor Mark Robson, leader of Hambleton District Council, said: “We look forward to new businesses opening and successfully trading in the town.”

Later phases will feature residential, leisure and offices, including flexible space for digital technology companies, specialists and freelancers, as well as a showpiece civic square and a four-screen cinema, operated by prestige cinema group Everyman.

Work is now well underway on the £17million transformation of the old prison site into a major retail and leisure development.

The foundations for the new Lidl store are almost complete with steelwork expected to be erected from mid-December.

The original signage from the gatehouse, two stone white roses and a VR sign, have both been removed and will be incorporated into phase two of the development.

Five Grade II listed former prison buildings at the northern end of the site will be restored, refurbished and brought back into use as part of the next phase of the development, with work expected to start early next year.

The car park is managed by the Central Northallerton Development Company Ltd (CNDCL), which is driving forward the Treadmills development. CNDCL is investing £150,000 in the car park, including introducing four electric vehicle charging points.

The upgrade will include the introduction of electronic payments, by card and mobile phone.