AN American-style wine bar will be allowed to operate in Ferryhill after a u-turn by councillors.

The owner of an off-licence in Main Street applied for permission to convert it into a licensed coffee bar last year.

Planning officers at Sedgefield Borough Council recommended that it should be approved, but council members turned it down in December because of traffic fears.

The owner immediately lodged an appeal with the Planning Inspectorate, seeking to overturn the decision.

Meanwhile, he resubmitted an almost identical application to the council. The only change was a supporting letter which clarified that the opening hours as 9am to 11pm, Monday to Saturday, and 9am to 10.30pm on Sunday.

Sedgefield's development control committee met to discuss the application again last week and gave its approval for the application.