RESIDENTS and businesses have voiced concerns about plans for a takeaway food venue in Stanley.

A planning application has been submitted to Durham County Council for the change of use of a unit at Dundee House, High Street, from a hairdressers to a hot food takeaway.

The proposals have sparked several objections from people living nearby, with concerns about littering, noise and anti-social behaviour in the evenings.

One objector said: "There is one bin for all the shops on the High Street, it is constantly full and overflowing and we constantly pick up discarded takeaway containers around the pavements.

"The more takeaway shops there are, the more anti-social behaviour there could be."

A resident living next door to the proposed takeaway added: "There is no need for another takeaway to further compound the current problems. I am currently scared to use my front door on an evening as cars and even articulated lorries think the pavement is for parking and can come hurtling onto it with force.

"I have even been nearly knocked down coming out of my back gate with people pulling onto the double yellow lines to use a takeaway."

Documents also show the proposal would be against local planning policy, which seeks to limit the proximity of hot food takeaways outside town centres to more than 400m from schools. In this instance, the planned venue would be just 150m from the nearest school, North Durham Academy.