MAGISTRATES have granted a licence for a new pub on the edge of Darlington despite objections from residents.

The application by Wolverhampton and Dudley Breweries is for a pub which will be built next to a school on the West Park Estate, Faverdale.

Residents are objecting to the building because they say that it is too close to the recently-built Alderman Leach Primary School.

Yesterday, Councillor Norman Welsh, from Archdeacon Newton Parish Council, urged Bishop Auckland Magistrates not to grant the licence because only a footpath would separate the school from the pub.

He said he was worried about how large the pub would be and about car parking.

But magistrates said that outline planning permission had already been granted for the pub by Darlington Borough Council and any arguments that people have should be aired at a meeting of the council's development control committee next week.

Chairman of the bench Brian Avery said: "A lot of these matters have already been or are about to be dealt with by Darlington Borough Council.

"We think this will be a tremendous asset to the area and we will grant the licence.''

Coun Welsh said he accepted that magistrates had to grant the licence, but said he would fight proposals at next week's development control committee meeting.

He said: "We knew it was pretty much a forgone conclusion but I had to be here to state our case."