SELBY’S exceptional heritage could help to attract new visitors to the area, the chair of Historic England has said.

Following a tour of the town Sir Laurie Magnus was full of praise for Selby, which he said boasts Yorkshire’s earliest railway station and “a tremendous abbey and market square”,

The organisation is teaming up with Selby District Council, which aims to use the heritage of the area to drive economic growth.

The council aims to improve the way in which it supports Selby, Tadcaster and Sherburn in Elmet and helps them thrive.

Sir Laurie said: “It was clear to me from the trip that Selby District Council is really serious about making the most of its market towns and the surrounding areas.

“There’s so much on offer in this area, and so much that makes it special.

“There aren’t many market towns like Selby that can boast Yorkshire’s earliest railway station, the town park, a tremendous abbey and market square in such close proximity; all of which create a great backdrop to range of local independent shops. It’s clear that the historic heart of this area is one of the keys to unlocking its successful future.”

Deputy leader of the council, Cllr John Mackman, and director of economic regeneration and place, Dave Caulfield accompanied Sir Laurie on his visit.

Dave said: “Our partnership with Historic England is an important part of us ensuring we protect what’s special about the Selby district, but also seeing our heritage as an asset for achieving the potential of our market towns and making the Selby district a great place to live and do business.

“We want our market towns to really thrive. This is about protecting and enhancing the things that make our towns special, which helps businesses to grow and makes Selby a great choice for people to live. Our market towns are one of the reasons why we’ve got a great quality of life here, right in the heart of Yorkshire.”