MORE big-name high street retail and leisure firms are keen to move into Stanley town centre.

Household names such as McDonalds, JJB Sports, Argos and pub chain JD Wetherspoon want to open outlets.

But a report to Derwentside District Council says they are being hampered by the lack of large units.

Council officer Ross Bullerwell said: "All expressed an ambition to locate in Stanley, if there were more modern retail units available."

Council leader Alex Watson said he felt the former mining town already had potential sites.

He said: "There are existing areas of land in Stanley that could be used to facilitate household names like these.

"There is a big desire to get companies of that calibre into Stanley."

Last year, the council hired two consultants, RPS and DTZ, to look at how the town centre could be regenerated.

Both suggested a wholesale redevelopment of the town's core retail area, focused on Front Street, buying up large numbers of existing buildings and replacing them with larger, more modern retail units. But consultants believe this would cost more than £4m.

They came up with nine priorities for boosting the town's fortunes. These included maximising the use of Scott Street car park, making Scott Street a pedestrian zone, and improving Clifford Retail Park.

They also recommended closing Clifford Road, shrinking the Asda roundabout and releasing central parking sites for developments.

New car parking would give priority to short stay sites and long-stay car parking would be moved farther out of town.

The council's executive will discuss the report at a meeting in Consett Civic Centre, on Monday at 4.30pm.