A DOOR-TO-DOOR alcohol delivery service has been given the go-ahead despite objections from residents.

SAS Special Alcohol Services was this morning granted permission to open an off-license in Park Road, South Moor, near Stanley and operate a van delivery service from the premises.

Although similar alcohol delivery services exist on Tyneside, it is thought to be the first of its kind in Derwentside district.

Police objected to the company’s original proposals that the premises - and seven-days-a-week delivery service - operate from 10am to 4am.

However, after discussions with officers, the operators agreed to limit the shop’s opening hours to 10am-10pm and end the delivery service at 2am Monday to Saturday and midnight on Sundays. It was also agreed that only drinks bought and paid for during the shop’s opening hours would be delivered to customers’ doors.

Police withdrew their opposition to the proposal, but three residents and South Moor Neighbourhood Watch lodged objections following concerns over possible anti-social behaviour and parking problems in Park Road.

Resident Ken Pipes told Durham County Council’s statutory licensing sub-committee, meeting at Consett Civic Centre, that South Moor already had a problem of anti-social behaviour and vandalism associated with public drinking and he feared the situation would worsen if the new premises was granted a license.

He said: "It is not people under the age of 18 causing these problems, we have an awful lot of problems in South Moor with itinerant drinkers on the streets carrying bags full of drink.

"I really am concerned that if we have another alcohol outlet the problems will return three or four-fold."

However, solicitor Mark Davies, representing the applicants, said: "The concerns which have been raised by the objectors were concerns which were echoed by the police but, as a result of mediation, the police have now seen fit to withdraw their objection."

Yesterday, councillors granted owners Stephen Coulson and Shaun O’Kane a license to run the service subject to a number of conditions, including that drink be signed for and only handed over to people showing photographic proof-of-age.