The building trade will be among the first to be benefit from a large retail and leisure development being planned for a Co Tyrone border town.

The investment for Strabane includes a Local Employment Partnership agreement that stipulates that material and workers must be sourced locally and that up to a quarter of the workforce must also be made up of local apprentices.

It has been reported that 1,000 jobs could be on their way as part of the £250 million investment being spearheaded by Orana Developments.

The jobs will cover retail, health, leisure and business services and be spread across two sites in the town.

It is understood that one such site, the Camel's Hump, has been secured.

A blueprint to bring a 100-room hotel, a leisure centre and office units to the 25-acre site were revealed in 2008 - however progress on it seemed to stall thereafter.

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It is understood Harcourt's plans remain largely the same, with the commitment of Channel Island-based developers, the Orana Group, providing the clout the envisioned development needed.

It is believed that the Score site is the second area of land identified in the investment bid.

Under a lucrative contract from the Department of Social Development (DSD) and Strabane District Council, Belfast-based planning consultants, Tribal, put forward a number of options for the publicly-owned area, which were unveiled at public information sessions in the town last summer.

A leisure centre or a mixed retail and residential space, incorporating a hotel, are among them - due to go out to for a six-week public consultation after the Easter break.

Not until this and other details between developers are finalised can the proposed developments be put forward for planning approval.

Orana is best known for its involvement in Banbridge's multi-million shopping complex, 'The Outlet', which boosted the provincial region of Co Down.

It has now turned its attention to the north west. Orana's intention to transform Londonderry's Crescent link into a centre for healthcare, retail and tourism emerged last week.

The international development body also plans two major projects in Donegal, including the multi-million 'Donegal Western Gateway' scheme earmarked for Ballybofey.

(BmcC/GK)