COUNCILLORS are being urged to support business and jobs by giving plans to revamp a car dealership the green light.

Bosses at Bristol Street Motors want to demolish their existing car showroom and some offices on their site on Carrville High Street, Durham City, and build a new showroom, refurbish their workshops and reconfigure their parking and sales areas.

However, 20 letters of opposition have been filed, 26 people have signed a petition against the proposals and Belmont Parish Council has objected.

Residents are concerned the scheme will increase traffic and mean more showroom visitors parking on neighbouring streets.

The site is bounded by homes on two sides and Belmont Social Club on a third.

The parish council has raised issues of land ownership, restrictive covenants, new roof heights and bats.

However, there have been no objections from the highways authority, the Environment Agency, the Coal Authority or Northumbrian Water.

And in a statement the dealership itself said: “After over 40 years on the site the proposed refurbishment and new build works will provide an enjoyable and safe working environment and a strong economic presence in Carrville and County Durham.”

The site has been a car dealership for more than 40 years, under several different owners.

The current owners bought the site two years ago and say they want to improve the conditions there.

The application is due to go before Durham County Council’s central and east area planning committee when it meets at the Glebe Centre, in Murton, on Tuesday (May 13) at 1pm.

Council planning officers are recommending it be approved.

They say the changes would have no detrimental impact on the character of the street scene, the buildings to be demolished have no architectural or visual merit and there would be sufficient parking available on site.

Their report to councillors reads: “It is not considered that the proposed works detailed in this application would adversely impact upon the residential amenities currently enjoyed by the neighbouring residents.

“The application does not propose an intensification of use and the dealership would operate in a similar manner as to how it operates currently.”