CONCERNS have been raised over the impact on parking and congestion if Safeway wins approval to extend its Darlington premises, with fears that more shoppers will seek limited parking places available in the town.

Under the proposals, 27 car parking spaces will be lost from the Victoria Road supermarket site.

A Darlington Borough Council spokesman said: "We need clarification on a number of issues because we need to have accurate information before we can even consider this application.

"We need to know if they plan to compensate for the lost parking spaces, and we also have to consider the impact on transport and traffic congestion around that area.

"There is quite a lot of work to be done before we can consider this. It could be quite some time before a decision is made."

The company's expansion plans come just weeks after details released last month of a scheme to turn the town's Crown Street car park into a multi-storey.

At present, it has space for 250 cars, but this would increase to 400 if the Cornmill Shopping Centre's new owner, the Rachel Charitable Trust, gains planning permission.

Under the plans, a new level would be placed above the existing car park.

Further development could see a walkway connecting the car park with the Cornmill.

Park West ward Councillor Heather Scott said she thought the Safeway expansion could be good for the town, but echoed the concerns about traffic congestion.

These concerns are shared by Darlington Mayor Councillor Isobel Hartley.

She said: "I would like the traffic implications to be looked at and the configuration of cars going in and out at the same place. The loss of parking spaces is also a concern."

A spokesman for the Safeway store chain said that 500 car parking spaces would be retained, which would be adequate for its customers.