Durham village to get new petrol station and Spar store

Plans for a new petrol station and convenience store have taken a step closer after approval from the local authority.

The new site at South Pelaw, near Chester-le-Street, has been granted a licence to sell alcohol between 6am and 11pm, when the Spar convenience store will be open.

However, the proposal for the former Falcon Pub was met with over 200 objections from residents. Opposition to the scheme centered around the impact it would have on the nearby area, however there was only one objection to the licensing application according to the local authority.

One resident said: “My concerns are about increased litter, anti-social behaviour and that alcohol provision is already available at the nearby One Stop and More for less stores. We do not need another one. Also a petrol station selling alcohol could lead to a rise in drink driving related accidents. I am sure all of us in South Pelaw do not want to see this happen.”

However, Durham County Council granted applicant Ali Rezaei the licence after plans for the new site were approved last year.

In a staterment to the local authority, Mr Rezaei said: “As the site is located in a densely populated area of South Pelaw we expect the shop goods and services sales will be three times more than fuel sales. The site has easy vehicular access from Pelton lane with 12 car park spaces and we expect to get a lot of business from commuters and passers-by.”

Both the petrol station and Spar store will be open between 6am and 11pm every day.