A DIY company is hoping to set up a shop on the outskirts of an east Durham town.

But the bid by Maxwell's DIY to site a store on Peterlee's North West Industrial Estate has been deferred at the firm's request.

The application came before a meeting of Easington District Council's development control committee when members were told that the company was proposing to establish a store on the site of the Tones Garage and car salesroom.

In a report, by principal planning services officer Alan Dobie, members were told that Durham County Council had already objected to the development because of inadequate parking provision.

An objection was also received from east Durham Business Service, which claimed that the siting of a DIY store so close to an area designated for prestige industrial development would have an adverse effect.

Mr Dobie recommended the application be refused because there was insufficient justification for the proposal and it was an out-of-centre development that was likely to harm the authority's present strategy to promote businesses in the town.

The committee, however, decided to not to make any decision after hearing a request from Maxwell's that the application be deferred.