Council chiefs are seeking to make a key appointment which will kickstart a major heritage programme.

No less than £2.4m million is set to be invested in Hexham town centre when the Hexham High Streets Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ) scheme gets under way in the new year.

The initiative, which is backed by both Hexham Town Council and Northumberland County Council, will lead to four years worth of improvements to sites within the zone’s target areas of Priestpopple, Battle Hill and Cattle Market.

It has emerged that the county council is seeking to appoint an architect to work at the heart of the improvements.

A county council spokeswoman said: “When appointed, this accredited conservation architect will provide technical project development and quality assurance support to the building grants scheme aspect of the programme.

“The grants scheme will improve and repurpose buildings in the target area of Priestpopple, Battle Hill and Cattle Market, and further details of how it will work will be published in the new year.”

The Courant broke welcome news of the scheme back in September, amid concerns about the condition of historic buildings which in some cases have fallen into disuse.

Hexham will receive a big cash boost from Historic England, as well as further funding allocated as part of the High Streets Heritage Action Zone programme.

The mayor of Hexham, Coun. Bob Hull, said the scheme would aid the economic regeneration of Hexham.

Coun. Hull also said it would play a key role in the town’s post-Covid recovery in supporting the delivery of the Hexham Neighbourhood Plan, which calls for heritage-led economic regeneration of the town centre.

Last month, a team of local experts were appointed as part of the scheme.

David Coverdale will lead overall programme management including a community engagement programme, and will also be responsible for co-ordinating partnership arrangements between Northumberland County Council, Historic England, Hexham Town Council and Hexham Community Partnership. Val Robson, a building conservation officer with the county council, will lead on the implementation of the building grants scheme, it was announced.