A LAST-minute planning hitch which could have scuppered the building of a £1.6m pub in Consett has been averted.

An application for permission to change building materials for the JD Wetherspoon pub led Derwentside District Council planning officers to recommend that members reject the request, even though permission to build had already been granted.

However, councillors over-ruled the suggestion after learning that the council's civic centre in the town used the same materials.

At a meeting at Consett Civic Centre, councillors supporting their planners said the council building was itself a "very poor standard" and should not used as a benchmark.

The remarks followed a report by principal planning officer Darren Cuming, who said the roof materials JD Wetherspoon wanted to use were of too poor a quality for a prominent site in the town centre.

Councillor Alex Watson, the leader of the council, took the unusual step of intervening to oppose his own council planners in order for building to carry on.

He said: "Our own building uses these house tiles and I would feel hypocritical to say they have to use a more expensive type."

After his intervention, councillors voted to overturn their planning officers' recommendation.

The snag was the latest in a series of setbacks for JD Wetherspoon.

Almost two years ago, the company had to drop plans for a similar development in the town after a mistake was discovered in the business plan.

It was considering converting part of the former Trade Union Memorial Hall into a real ale and wine bar, but that fell through.

The chain's pubs are famed for providing drinkers with an environment free of music and television.

Consett's new pub, on land adjacent to Front Street and Medomsley Road, will also have a ban on pool tables.

About one third of the pub will be non-smoking and it will be wheelchair accessible with a specially adapted toilet for disabled customers.

The company hopes the pub, which it is yet to name,will be completed by the end of the year.

About 30 full and part-time jobs will be created at the new hostelry.