THE company behind a controversial market in Spennymoor has switched its attentions to a neighbouring town after failing in its bid to host the events.

Noble Promotions wants to hold weekly tabletop sales at a Bishop Auckland car park after its appeal for planning permission for the Spennymoor events was thrown out.

The company had appealed against Sedgefield Borough Council's decision not to allow the fairs to be held at Rothman's Business Centre, on Green Lane Industrial Estate.

The Peterlee firm had hoped to provide space for 100 stallholders and attract hundreds of shoppers to the area on Sundays.

Spennymoor Town Council, neighbouring businesses and Durham County Council's highways engineers had all objected to the proposal because of parking and traffic congestion.

When the company was told to stop holding the sales it started a similar event on North Bondgate in Bishop Auckland, instead.

It is now facing a fight for full planning permission from Wear Valley District Council to run the events on Sundays, between February and December, at the new location.

Residents of Bishop Auckland town centre are objecting to the proposal because they feel the events lower the area's image.

They also raised fears about access to homes across the car park being blocked.

A housing developer who plans to build apartments facing the car park believes that if the events become a permanent fixture they would ruin his chance of selling the homes.

It is understood that provisional approval for 14 car boot sales expired two weeks ago, but a sale was held on Sunday and the company's web site is still promoting the weekly events.

A Wear Valley District Council spokesman said the application for full planning permission was still being processed and no recommendation had yet been made to councillors.

A date for the development control committee to discuss the application has yet to be determined.

Boss John Noble was not available for comment at the time of going to press.