A NEW golf driving range will open in Bishop Auckland by the end of the year after councillors approved plans for the site.

Proposals for the 14-bay range at Flatts Farm were granted permission by Wear Valley District Council's development control committee.

Brothers Allan and Joe Barker, co-owners of the Castle Hotel pub, in Bishop Auckland, and Lee Ellison, also from the town, are leading the scheme.

Allan played for Newcastle United in the Seventies and Lee played for Darlington in the early Nineties.

Investors hope the driving range will be just the first stage in the development of the 120-acre site on the north bank of the River Wear.

It could pave the way for a nine or 18-hole golf course, which would be named Eleven Arches after Newton Cap Bridge, which overlooks the site, if granted permission.

Allan Barker said: "We didn't want to tempt fate but laid grass on the driving range site. There's only really the bays and office to build before we open. At the same time we'll draw up plans for the rest of the site which could cost around £1,000,000."

He hopes that if the scheme goes ahead between 40 and 50 jobs would be created.

Mr Barker added: "Everyone behind the scheme is local so it's important to us to consider the area and community.

"Golf is one of the world's fastest growing sports yet people in Wear Valley do not have a driving range to practice all year round. The council has acknowledged that by approving our plans and we want to offer that facility. We also plan to offer free lessons for schoolchildren, maybe Wear Valley could be home to the next Tiger Woods.

Coun John Ferguson, who represents West Auckland, said: "At the moment people have to travel away from Wear Valley to participate in a popular pastime, so I feel this will be a useful development."