A dairy's plans to set up a distribution centre in the North-East could see up to 150 jobs being created.

The planned £23m investment by Robert Wiseman and Sons, in Chester-le-Street, could continue the momentum started by other job creation developments given approval in recent months.

The town's crippling unemployment - at nine per cent, the worst in County Durham - mean any sizeable developments will be seized upon by hopeful civic leaders.

Last month, planning committee members at Chester-le-Street District Council approved plans for a Tesco supermarket in the South Burns area of the town, which is expected to bring a further 200 jobs to the area.

Also, last year, permission was given for a business park on the Lambton Estate, which should provide a 500-job boost for the town, which has a population of 53,000.

Council leader Councillor Malcolm Pratt said: "We are committed to bringing new investment into the district, and one of our key aims is to strengthen and maintain employment opportunities and our local economy.

"We have known for some time that Drum is one of the most strategically-placed industrial estates in the region.

"It needed a company of this size and foresight to speculate on this scale, and we are sure that this will lead to further development and increase employment opportunities in the district."

The dairy distribution and packaging centre on the Drum estate will open up the site for future development, because the company plans to improve the infrastructure by building an access road.

A spokeswoman for Robert Wiseman and Sons, in Glasgow, said the company was very pleased that planning permission had been granted.

It is to continue negotiations with the site owners before releasing more details, said the spokeswoman