PLANS for a spa and country club outside Yarm, which would create about 150 jobs, are being considered by Stockton Council.

Howson Developments is planning to open the timber building, housing a leisure centre and swimming pool on land off Leven Bank Road, Yarm, if the scheme is approved by Stockton Borough Council.

Outline plans have been drawn up for the leisure facility and restaurant which would include a cafe, private allotments, an orchard, market garden, and what is thought to be Teesside's first vineyard.

The health and fitness facilities have been planned with the help of Tees Active, a non-profit making company which runs Stockton Council's sports facilities.

The new building will be visible from Leven Bank Road, but will be screened by woodland on the other side.

Howson Developments and its consultants Prism Planners have stressed there are no plans to turn the venue into a nightclub or performance space, such as that at Kirklevington Country Club, which was knocked down over a decade ago.

Instead the country club will feature leisure facilities and a restaurant.

While the club will be for members to use, there are plans to allow public access with day passes, flexible membership options, and for local schools to be able to access the leisure facilities.

Steve Barker, of Prism Planning, said: "During consultation we had amazingly positive feedback. Something like 80 per cent of people said this is something that they desperately wanted and should have had a long time ago. There seems to be a lot of support for it, much more than we hoped."

Middlesbrough-based Hudson Quay Brasserie is thought to be in talks over running the on-site restaurant.

Once the building is up, the second phase is developing the market garden, allotments and vineyard on the rest of the site. The vision eventually is that produce grown on site will be served in the restaurant.

As well as the Kirklevington Country Club the Yarm area has also lost the Tall Trees Hotel and nightclub in recent years.

It is believed the new country club could be built within the year, depending on planning permission.