PLANS for the first of a series of pavement cafes, which it is hoped will revitalise the economy of a town centre, have been rejected.

Bojangles, in Church Road, Stockton, had applied for permission to open a 12-table pavement caf, and was expected to be the first of a series of developments to create a continental caf culture in the town.

Last December, Stockton's town centre manager, Geraint Williams, outlined a vision of a 24-hour lifestyle for the town - including all-day shopping, and a late-night caf society.

Mr Williams said that neighbouring Middlesbrough had established itself as the main regional shopping centre, leaving Stockton to look at the other things it had to offer, such as entertainment, heritage, lifestyle, festivals and the arts.

He said: "Compared to the industrial revolution, which took a long time to change Stockton, this is going to happen very quickly."

However, Stockton Borough Council's planning committee has now rejected the first such plan, for outside Bojangles cafe/bar, because it would obstruct a public highway.

The pavement outside the premises is between five metres and six metres wide, and outdoor seating would have taken up about three metres.

Committee members were asked to agree the plan, subject to conditions that the eastern end of the building, where the pavement is only three metres wide, was not developed.

The report to the council said: "Supporting the scheme will encourage others and help bring more life into the town centre."

Members of the planning committee voted against the scheme.

Mr Williams said: "I appreciate that this particular application did cause an obstruction of the highway, as it stood.

"I also believe the application was premature as I am working to develop proposals for street cafes under licence, with the consent of the highway authority.

"The principle is being progressed, but we need to identify locations in the town centre which may be suitable."