Sir, – Now that Hambleton District Council has made a deal to buy Northallerton prison, it is to be hoped that it seeks the services of a developer sympathetic to and skilled in the reuse of historic buildings, and good architects able to create attractive street frontages and give the town a scheme of real quality.

Hopefully, the council will be looking at other urban prison redevelopment schemes, such as that at Oxford, to see what lessons can be learned.

Unfortunately, if the proposals presented at last year's public consultation exercise are anything to go by, we may end up with a collection of unrelated large sheds surrounded by acres of car parking, strung out along East Road. Surely the council can do better than that ?

TONY ROBINSON

Thirsk Road, Northallerton.