A DIY chain is creating 50 jobs at a new store on the outskirts of Bishop Auckland.

It is hoped that the 25,000sq ft Homebase development will be open by the end of next year.

The announcement was made after the company was given planning permission for a DIY store and garden centre by Wear Valley District Council's development control committee.

The development, at the former Keen Replicas site, in Watling Road, Tindale Crescent, will also feature two restaurants and 237 parking spaces. The site will be landscaped.

Divisional general manager, Paul Frewin said Homebase was looking forward to moving into Bishop Auckland.

He said: "We are delighted to be opening a new store in Bishop Auckland. It is part of Homebase's plan to open 15 new stores every year for the next three years".

The site where the store will be built is in an area in Tindale Crescent that has been earmarked for bulky goods retail use by the district council.

Work has already started on neighbouring land, near Jewsons, for a further two shops.

Two major DIY retailers have been linked with those premises but there has been no firm confirmation of who will occupy them.

The development marks the start of a DIY shake-up that will see B&Q move out of its Bob Hardisty Drive premises, in the town centre, to the outskirts of town. Property company Terrace Hill North-East, from Stockton, is negotiating with the district council to build a B&Q superstore on the former Warner Electrics site, also in Tindale Crescent, along with a multi-screen cinema, and bingo hall and restaurants.

Terrace Hill said it has earmarked 13.3 hectares of land in St Helens Way, for the development.

Duncan McEwan, development executive at Terrace Hill, said "We are very optimistic that this could happen. I am very excited about it.

"We already have interest from an international cinema chain and a national bingo operator, but there are still things that we need to discuss with the council and until we have done that nothing is confirmed."