SUPPORTERS of a £24m visitor attraction which will fight for planning permission at a council meeting next week have set up a Facebook page to back the scheme.

The ‘We Support the Eleven Arches’ page was launched on Sunday (May 24) in support of Auckland Castle Trust’s bid to develop near Bishop Auckland.

The Trust wants to build a historic visitor attraction at Flatts Farm which aims to create a night time sound and light spectacular celebrating 2,000 years of British history through the eyes of the North-East.

The charitable scheme, which is part of a £90m charitable enterprise based around Auckland Castle, would feature shows across 30 nights from May to September and hopes to be just as successful as a similar project in France, the Puy du Fou, which has become internationally renowned.

It is expected the event could bring in up to 800,000 visitors a year to the former golf course which backers say is a “once in a lifetime opportunity” for the town.

If planning permission is granted, organisers hope to kick off the annual event next year, which has been pipped to be on par with the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics.

People have been quick to back the Facebook page, which already has more than 850 likes.

Bishop Auckland resident, Tim Scott, who set up the page, said: “I decided to set up the page because I saw on the planning website that only 75 people had sent in support letters and I knew more people supported it than that but didn’t want to go through the faff of the planning website.”

Mr Scott said he plans to collate the comments and submit it to the planning department himself.

“It’s quite exciting and I think it would be a shame if it does not happen – people seem quite narrow-minded but it’s a once in a life time opportunity and could be the death of Bishop Auckland,” he added.

“It’s been amazing seeing how much support there is for the project and the page has reached 16,000 with people sharing it.”

The plans go before Durham County Council next Tuesday (June 2), but the authority’s planners have recommended it should be rejected due to noise concerns relating to nearby houses.

A secondary issue also raised concerns the effect that the set up will have on the local bat populations.

Councillor Lee Brownson, mayor of Bishop Auckland, said: “I am fully 100 per cent in favour of this project and the benefits it will bring to the town.

“Social media is a good thing to spread the message and I know there have been some fantastic comments about the project.

“I have seen the page myself and I think it is fantastic and I’ve liked it myself.”