Hambleton District Council is advertising for a private sector partner to join forces with it to regenerate the 3.4 acre site in the centre of the market town.
Bidders will go through a tender process – the results of which should be known later this year. Together with the council the successful developer will create a Local Asset Backed Vehicle (LABV) for the duration of the project – the council committing assets and the partner committing cash, assets and services. Any returns from the scheme would then be shared.
“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to develop a new quarter in historic Northallerton,” said Council Leader, Councillor Mark Robson. “We are committed to seeing it reach its full potential by both retaining and enhancing the listed buildings and creating new uses for the remainder of the site.
“We want to create a legacy for the town that reflects the sites former use but also drives the town forward.”
A masterplan has already been drawn up for the site – which includes five listed buildings.
That suggests a mix of retail, leisure, housing and community use premises could be provided at the former jail, as well as a small hotel. The nearby 232 space Crosby Road car park could also be enhanced to support the needs of the prison site.
The council bought the prison from the Ministry of Justice for £1.4 million last summer (2015). Redevelopment work should be complete in 2019.
The developer will be selected though OJEU (Official Journal of the European Union) competitive dialogue. For more information developers are asked to log on to Hambleton.gov.uk/NPD; check out www.yortender.co.uk. The OJEU publication number is 2016/S 082-144843.