PEOPLE living near a supermarket in Spennymoor are angry they were not asked to voice their concerns about a proposed car park extension before the plan was approved.

Sedgefield Borough Council has granted outline planning permission for Asda Spennymoor to create an overspill parking area.

But residents in nearby Rowan Court say the strip of land concerned is planted as a garden and acts as a buffer zone between the store and their homes.

They say the extension will create extra noise, car fumes and light next to their homes, take away their privacy and make them feel surrounded by bricks and concrete.

Council officers granted outline permission using delegated powers, which means that written objections were considered but not discussed by councillors on the authority's development control committee.

Objector Robert Ludlow said residents had been promised a chance to share their fears in public at a committee meeting.

He said: "I don't think the extra car park is necessary and will take away an area of open space that breaks up the concrete and bricks.

"I was told the issue would go before committee. But this did not happen and I was deprived of the opportunity to put my point of view to the planning committee, and I feel I may have been able to convince members to refuse the application.

"I would ask Sedgefield Borough Council to consider putting it before committee then at least, whatever the decision, it would be fair."

The extra 23 spaces that would be provided could be used for staff parking, which bosses at the store feel would minimise the flow of traffic.

It would follow a £1m extension on the opposite side of the building to allow the store to increase its George clothing range.

Andrew Farnie, principal development control officer, said: "The borough council did make an administrative error resulting in the decision to approve the car park extension being reached through the council delegation procedure rather than the development control committee.

"I do understand residents' annoyance. However, I do not feel that a different decision would have been arrived at if committee had considered the application. To ensure that this type of mistake does not happen again we are in the process of reviewing our procedures."