Plans for a hot food takeaway and retail units have been approved despite concerns from residents, writes Local Democracy Reporter Bill Edgar.
The new facilities will be built on land at Jubilee Field in Shildon after support from Durham County Council.
A new bakery, hair salon, and Chinese takeaway have shown initial interest in opening at the new site.
The site is currently occupied by a Spar convenience store and the Frydayz fish and chips takeaway.
Jubilee Fields Community Centre also shares the same car park.
A previously proposed car wash facility has been removed from the plans.
The new development is expected to put an end to speculation over the site’s future, as similar proposals were previously granted permission but never built.
However, Shildon Town Council warned the new facilities are not needed.
An objection read: “There is already an over-concentration of takeaway outlets in Shildon.
“The development would lead to noise/ disruption to residents and would increase traffic/ congestion in the housing estate.”
Five new parking spaces will be created for the new development, but residents have warned that the existing car park is already busy and leads to parking on Jubilee Road.
A resident added: “We already have several takeaways within the town and one located right next to this proposal.
“This is another unnecessary requirement and is only increasing the already high obesity levels.”
But Manjinder Singh Jagpal, the applicant, said the new shops would make it easier for nearby residents to access local facilities.
“The proposed new bakery, hair salon and hot food takeaway would help to meet the day-to-day needs of residents on the eastern side of Shildon,” he said.
“They would enhance the accessibility and availability of local-level retail and service facilities for these residents, in an area where existing provision is very limited.
“This area contains no bakeries or hair salons, with the only hot food takeaways being two fish and chip shops (which would have a quite different offer to the proposed Chinese takeaway).”
Construction work is expected to commence later this year.
Bill Edgar
Reporter for the Local Democracy Reporter Service.
Shildon & District's local community newspaper.
