THE first member of an innovative new business hub opening in Northallerton this spring has signed up.

The Centre for Digital Innovation (C4DI) will open in the new Treadmills development based on the site of the town’s former prison.

Cornwall-based Agritech company Glas Data has joined the C4DI team as part of their mission to enhance farm management through data automation technology.

The company hopes to make key connections with other like-minded agritech and technology start ups that will be housed at Treadmills.

Eleanor Whitlock, business development and account executive at Glas Data said: “We are all very excited here at Glas Data to be the first to join the C4DI Northallerton venture.

"We cannot wait to share our software and agri-tech solution with everyone and grow together."

The Northallerton digital office hub - an offshoot of the Hull C4DI – is being created in the former female wing of the town's old prison, one of the five listed buildings on the prison site.

It has been completely transformed into business units while still paying respect to its past – the old prison cells become offices, complete with the original cell doors. But the old dark building is now full of light thanks to glass walls and new lighting.

"C4DI Northallerton is an exciting new campus focused on helping tech companies grow, and traditional businesses innovate within the agriculture and food processing sectors,” said John Connolly, Managing Director of C4DI.

“We're thrilled to have Glas Data on board to mark the beginning of this new chapter for C4DI.”