WORK on a £12m town centre development in Chester-le-Street is expected to begin at the end of the month.

After years of delay, Tesco is to start work on a multi-million pound supermarket near the viaduct in Chester-le-Street.

The development was first announced four years ago, but plans were delayed while a public inquiry took place and the plans were then referred to the High Court.

Food retailer Co-op had applied for a judicial review, but its application was turned down following a three-hour hearing.

Co-op has a store close to the site in St Cuthbert's Walk, and argued that a major food store on the site would threaten its branch with closure.

Now the council is in the middle of a compulsorarily purchasing thousands of square metres of land in the South Burns area of town to sell to Tesco for development.

Chester-le-Street District Council already owns the area, but has to register its ownership of what are presently unregistered strips of land.

Several small businesses also have to be relocated with money paid to them by Tesco.

Director of planning and development at the council, Tom Watson, said: "There are one or two housekeeping items that need to be realised before Tesco starts work. There is a culvert that needs to be strengthened, a roundabout that needs to be built and Bridge End Motors is being relocated. There are also one or two buildings that need to be demolished."

One of the organisations being left temporarily homeless by the move is the 2nd Chester-le-Street Scout Group. Its dilapidated Scout hut, situated under the viaduct, has long been seen as unsuitable for the 120 youngsters who use it.

So far they have helped raise £20,000 towards a new Scout hut, which is expected to be built at the south end of the town, near West Lane.

But while they try to raise the remaining tens of thousands of pounds still needed to build the new headquarters, the group needs temporary accommodation.

Anyone who can help the scout group should contact Ray Dawson on 0191-3882626.