Wescott Way will become a tree-lined boulevard, and a flagship department store and new apartments are to be built in Corby as part of the second phase town centre development branded "Evolution Corby".

Town centre owners Land Securities has revealed artists' impressions and maps of the new development, which it hopes will be completed by 2012.

Up to 340,000 sq ft of new shops, a possible community or sports hall and two new car parks providing as many as 1,600 spaces are all features of the multi-million pound scheme.

The company has not ruled out the possibility of Marks & Spencer opening up in the department store unit.

Mark Rymell, development manager for Land Securities, said: "This will secure the long term viability and vitality of Corby town centre.

"We've been working on this since we acquired the town centre. Willow Place was the first step but we always had bigger plans because of the population growth in the town."

To read more about Evolution Corby please see today's Evening Telegraph.