NEXT year, unscrupulous property developers are expected to buy-up all the most valuable pieces of North Yorkshire real estate, plaster them with houses and hotels and charge exorbitant rents until some poor souls are bankrupted.

Not much change there then, cynics may say. But there is a difference. This time, the property tycoon might be you.

Yes, North Yorkshire is to get its own version of Monopoly.

Stick to your strategy, roll a double six and you too could be the owner of York Railway Station, Coney Street and Castle Howard.

Chance would be a fine thing...

Updated: 12:10 Thursday, December 05, 2002