Northallerton Prison could become shops after Hambleton Council purchase

Northallerton Prison had 250 inmates before it closed in 2013

A defunct North Yorkshire prison could be turned into shops and houses after it was bought by a local council.

Northallerton Prison was built in 1780 and housed around 250 inmates before closing in December 2013.

Hambleton District Council previously said the building's proximity to the High Street meant it could be used for retail or housing as part of the market town's £5m regeneration.

It said the sale price agreed with the Ministry of Justice was confidential.

A new town square, workspaces, and leisure facilities also featured in the "masterplan" for the town, the council said.

The scheme will incorporate the prison's 3.4 acres - including five listed buildings, the governor's block and two women-only wings built in the 1800s.

The prison, built in 1780, housed about 250 inmates before it closed in 2013.

Council leader Mark Robson said the sale was "just the start" of the town's transformation, which he said would "complement existing businesses and boot the area's economic growth".

The purchase will be funded from the council's £10m economic development fund.

Any money made from the redevelopment project will be put back into the fund, the council said.