CHARITY trustees hope to cash in on a patch of wasteland by selling it for a shop and petrol station development.

Chilton Town Council acts as trustee for the Miners Welfare Recreation Grounds charity which gifted land around the town for families to use for sport and leisure.

It has this week accepted an offer of £108,000 for a parcel of unused scrub near Chilton Industrial Estate from family-run retail business Kenworth Ltd, subject to planning approval.

Kenworth wants to build a filling station, Nisa convenience store and forecourt on land off Chilton Way and the A167.

The plans are currently with Durham County Council pending a decision.

A key issue to be resolved by planners was highways safety so it is understood the applicant has been in talks with officers about the entry and exit, one-way traffic flow and fuel tanker access.

Chilton Town Council has written to the authority to support the planning application because of the community benefits it could bring such as jobs and retail.

It also declared a vested interest because, as trustees of the land, it currently owns the site and would benefit from its sale.

Town clerk Paul Gray said: “We, as trustees of the land, are ecstatic about the prospect of this development.

“The land at the moment is a bit of a mess and we think this could have a real positive impact for Chilton, not just the money that can be used elsewhere.

“There were two potential buyers but we feel this one will bring greater benefits such as jobs and the much needed services of a cheaper brand shop and 24 hour petrol station.

“Nisa also has a charity side to its work which is good.

“The same people tried to buy it a couple of years back but highways officers were worried about a proposed slip road.

“The access is now proposed to come off the roundabout to the industrial estate and we understand that to be a much preferred option.”

If permission is granted and the sale goes through it is expected that, after professional fees such as to the estate agent are paid, around £100,000 will be left.

That cash will be available to the charity to pump back into leisure facilities in the community.

Mr Gray said: “It will go into a holding account until the trustees decide how to reinvest it in the miners welfare ground.”