THE multi-million pound redevelopment of a County Durham town centre has taken a further step forward.

A Chester-le-Street District Council meeting passed plans for a new community hospital in the town.

The hospital, consisting of two three-storey blocks, will also include a two-bay ambulance centre, separate boiler centre and car parking.

At the same meeting, plans for a temporary structure to house some of the existing hospital's services were also given the go-ahead.

Work will start soon to build the two-storey temporary building for offices and treatment rooms at Chester-le-Street Health Centre next to the town's magistrates' court, in Newcastle Road.

Commenting on the town's new hospital, council leader Councillor Malcolm Pratt, told Monday's meeting the time had come for action.

He said: "We have been waiting for a new hospital in Chester-le-Street for decades. I think the existing one was built during the war. Some of the conditions there have been nothing short of disgraceful.

"Our last MP, Giles Radice, set up a campaign committee to press for the new hospital. It now seems that we will get one of many new ones that are going to be built up and down the country."

Meanwhile, two of the final legal hurdles to the construction of a Tesco superstore in the South Burns area of Chester-le-Street were also addressed.

Committee members approved a highway stopping- up order that will block parts of South Burns and informal footpaths criss-crossing the area to help in the construction of the Tesco store.

Granted planning permission in May, the store will form the centrepiece for the £12m redevelopment of the bottom end of Front Street.

It was hoped that work would start this summer, but an application for the compulsory purchase of up to 14 parcels of land may slow developments if they have to go to a public inquiry