TRADERS fear they will lose business when a new health centre is built on a car park near their shops because it will take spaces used by shoppers.

Derwentside Primary Care Trust has won outline planning permission from Derwentside District Council's development control committee for a replacement to the existing medical centre in nearby Clifford Street, Stanley.

The new facility, which will include a centre for child development, will be built on the 110-space Thorneyholme Terrace car park and when it is completed the old centre will be demolished and turned into a car park - but with only 75 spaces.

Planning officials say the new centre could have up to 332 employees, 233 of whom would be working at the centre at all the times it was open.

Traders in Clifford Street objected to the scheme, saying the loss of parking space for their customers could cost them trade.

Paul Young, of optician R Young, who is treasurer of Stanley Chamber of Trade, said: "This will effectively take away our car park from the bottom end of the street and there will be no provision for anything else.

"They are building a car park for the centre's people, but the public won't be able to use it.

"I have a lot of elderly patients and a lot of them come in by car. You won't be able to drop people off near the shop.''

Mr Young said a temporary car park could be built on the site of the town's old bus station, and that would eventually be replaced by a 500-space car park on the site of the town's Asda supermarket.

He said: "People might not be able to walk that far and they may decide to go where the parking is more convenient. This could be a nightmare for years.''

Durham County Council's highways development control officer also raised concern about the loss of parking space and urged that permission be refused until the siting of the building was altered.

Council leader Alex Watson said: "There were objections,but we felt they could be resolved.

"We are clearing spaces for parking on the old bus station and there will be opportunities for parking elsewhere.

"The new health centre will no doubt add to the vitality of the town centre.''