PLANS for a long-awaited cinema, which have received the backing of more than 500 people, have been submitted to the council.

Scores of people pledged their support for the multi-screen cinema, within a leisure complex of retail shops and restaurants at a two-day consultation earlier this month.

The development is being planned for 24 acres of waste ground next to the West Auckland bypass and behind the Tindale Crossing pub, in St Helen Auckland, near Bishop Auckland.

Developer Land Planning Partnership, which is behind the scheme, used the information received from the public to finalise the proposals before the documents were handed in to Durham County Council today (Friday, December 14).

Craig Kipling, of Create Architecture, who was responsible for drawing up the plans, said they had never had such a positive response to a development.

“We normally get about 50 comments and they are pretty mixed,” he said. “But this time we have 500 plus, without any negatives.

“Some people have asked questions but no-one has said they don’t want it. I think it really shows how much people want this.

“We have listened to what people have said and since the consultation we have made changes to the application.”

The plans for Bishop Auckland Retail Park include a five to eight-screen cinema, up to six family-friendly restaurants and a number of shops.

The applicants hope to receive outline planning permission by spring, with work on the site commencing early in 2014.

West Auckland Councillor Rob Yorke said the development would bring in the cinema everyone had been waiting for since the last one in the area closed 30 years ago.

“People don’t want to be travelling to Teesside Park to go to the cinema, they want one here. The overwhelming majority are in favour of this application.

“These are exciting times for the area. We are going against the grain for the current economic situation but the wheels are in motion and we have to keep it going now.”

Coun Yorke said he is due to have talks with another developer about a separate application for a cinema on land next to Bishop Auckland Football Club. He said this plan is in the very early stages.