WHAT a difference a year makes. The fruits of York Racecourse's Northern End Development are clear for all to see - as the finishing line appears in sight for the track's new weighing room.

New saddling boxes, vet facilities, wash down areas and a new pre-parade ring have been in use all season, and the rapid construction of the state-of-the-art facilities for jockeys, stewards and racing staff means the entrance to the racecourse from the northern end has a dramatic new look.

Flatter than its predecessor and about 25 per cent larger, the pre-parade ring is surrounded by eight open saddling boxes to the northern edge and seven on the trackside.

The impressive area was constructed using 80,000 local handmade bricks and traditional lime mortar, topped with welsh slate. The aim was to try and recreate the feel of the original saddling area, created by Edwardian architect Walter Brierley.

The round building, almost on an island at the main Parade Ring end, is where winning connections celebrate and review their race. The columns are cast iron, reclaimed from the former Edwardian saddling boxes.

But it is the weighing room that will be the crowning glory of the two-phased development when it becomes the centrepiece of the raceday operations from next May.

Renowned blacksmith Don Barker has created the metal fretwork and barber poles that evoke the iconic image of York Races - the County Stand.

A new restaurant, overlooking the parade ring and the track, sits on the top floor of the weighing room and it already open for next season's bookings.

It's all very impressive, and it's not finished yet. The existing Moët Pavilion is being replaced with a new building complete with a roof terrace looking towards the parade ring and track.

Future phases will see a canopy constructed over the Grade II* Listed John Carr Building, a 1754 structure which is understand to be the oldest sporting grandstand still being used anywhere in the world.

And the existing weighing room will not be consigned to rubble. Such a charming feature of York, the façade will be retained with the internal space being re-configured to provide a service to racegoers.