REVISED plans for a supermarket in Durham City are likely to be approved - despite concerns about the impact of traffic.

Durham City Council's development control committee has given its backing to plans for a Tesco store on the site of the former Hugh Mackay carpet factory, at Dragonville, which initially won planning permission earlier this year.

Because the revised scheme is on a bigger scale, it will be referred to Environment Secretary John Prescott for formal approval.

But it looks likely he will give the go-ahead, as he approved the original proposals during the summer.

The initial proposals, a 69,000 sq ft store with a petrol station and three non-food units, have been replaced with a 87,000 sq ft store, incorporating non-food space, the petrol station and one other unit.

Many of the 450 staff will be local unemployed people, trained at the £15m store through a partnership Tesco has piloted in other parts of the country.

To meet concerns about the impact of traffic on neighbouring residential areas, Tesco has revised the site layout, and is proposing to close Rennys Lane. The company has pledged £20,000 to create a hammerhead turning in Rennys Lane.

City and county highway officials have said this should be enough to stop back streets being used as rat runs.

But councillors are worried that problems will occur, and that the money Tesco originally offered to implement calming measures after the store opened, will not be available.

Carrville councillor Joe Knight said: "To pretend that our concerns have been satisfied would be bending the truth somewhat.

"All the way along, our view was that if there were traffic-related problems they would be addressed post-opening.

"We felt that was the most logical and sensible thing to do.

"I hope that as the development goes ahead we are proved wrong in our concerns.''

Committee chairman Mike Syer said the committee's concern should be raised with Durham County Council, the highways authority.

He said: "If the county council takes responsibility for traffic calming measures that are needed, we would hope it would act as fast as possible.''

Mr Prescott will announce his decision on the revised plans some time in the new year.