A DECISION to allow the expansion of an out-of-town shopping park has been referred to the Secretary of State.

Durham County Council’s planning committee yesterday (Tuesday, November 6) approved plans for an extra four units at the Bishop Auckland Shopping Park, in St Helen Auckland.

As councillors went against planning officers recommendations to refuse the proposal, they were told their decision would have to be referred to the Secretary of State.

Phase one of the shopping park, which was approved at the end of last year and is due welcome its first shoppers next week, was also referred but it was not called in.

A decision on whether phase two will be called in has not yet been made.

The expansion to the out-of-town site has divided opinion in the town, and planning officers recommended it for refusal on the grounds it “would have an adverse impact on the vitality and viability of Bishop Auckland town centre.”

Campaigners against the development have vowed to fight decision and do everything they can to protect their town centre.

Charles Moss, principle lecturer in marketing at the University of Sunderland, said although out-of-town developments did have an impact on town centres, with the right changes it is possible for them to fight back.

“There is still life in town centres,” he said. “But you can’t just sit back and do nothing.”

Mr Moss said more reasonable rents, action taken against landlords with long-term empty properties, variation of business rates, businesses working together to support each other and working with local firms to create a major market day will collectively help solve the problem.

He added: “All of this has got to be done as a whole. I know of one or two places that do one or two things but without the rest it will not have the same impact in improving town centres.”

Bishop Auckland Town Council has recently received £10,000 from the Portas Pilot scheme to relaunch the town’s ailing market.

Supporters of the shopping complex at St Helen Auckland believe it will attract more visitors to the area and subsequently give the town centre a boost.