By ROBERT GIBSON

Last updated 15:29, Thursday, 26 June 2008

TO some, the Duke of Northumberland’s plans are nothing short of a godsend for Prudhoe – a golden opportunity to inject a new lease of life into the town.

Both Northumberland Estates and Sainsbury’s have long been talking in terms of regeneration; of introducing choice and vibrance to a place that has been calling for change.

The scheme would bring 200 jobs and, rather than driving trade away, would encourage people to shop locally and enjoy the new town square, they say.

And visually, there would be a lot to enjoy – the design has been praised by the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment as “unambiguously modern and pleasingly simple”.

Even the level of objection has done little to alter the stance of Northumberland Estates, which insists that concerns have been taken on board and that opinion has been changing.

According to local councillor Peter Nevin, who has lived in Prudhoe for 14 years, the wider community was never strongly against the development in the first place.

“I’ve been able to meet and talk to a lot of local people,” he told Monday’s meeting of Tynedale Council’s planning committee.

“The feedback has been very good and very different from that which has been presented by the traders.

“I understand their concerns, but they have used them to stir up the community.”

There was little choice in Prudhoe and people were doing their shopping elsewhere, he said, adding: “The best bus service is the one leaving the town for Asda.”

The Rev. Charles Hope, who spoke on behalf of Prudhoe Community Partnership, likewise suggested the development represented a rare chance for the town.

“We are broadly in favour of the application,” he said. “The reason for that is that this opportunity site has been available for the last 20 years or so, and this is the first developer with plans to bring to the planning application stage.

“It is a significant opportunity for Front Street and the opportunity site as a whole, for the benefit of all residents.”

Speaking after the meeting, Northumberland Estates planning and development director Colin Barnes said a programme would be prepared after the plans had been referred to the Government Office for the North-East (GONE).

He said: “As always with major and complex applications, different people and groups ask for different things so we will never get 100 per cent agreement. However, the key things we hope to achieve will inevitably be a real step forward for the town; greater choice in shopping; a new town square as a focal point; improved parking and access; and over 200 new jobs, which will predominantly go to local people.

“As we know, a number of previous schemes have failed, so we now have a real opportunity for new investment in the town to occur.

“However, we will await a final decision before we move on, and will continue to work with local groups such as the community partnership to deliver the plans.”