A SUPERMARKET that could create dozens of jobs is being planned for a former north Durham mining town.

But developers remained tightlipped yesterday about which supermarket chain had applied to build the food supermarket in Agnes Street, Stanley.

The planning application for the supermarket was received by Derwentside District Council this week.

The developers said they would gauge the initial reaction from the council before revealing more details.

Architect for Newcastle planning agents Stewart and Southern, Ian Belsham, said: "All I can say now is that it would be a sizeable building and would be a natural extension of the shopping area in Stanley."

Developer Chris Dixon, at Tyneand Wear-based P Whelen, said the supermarket would create a number of jobs.

Leader of the council, Alex Watson, said the council had been looking for applications for development of the site which was formerly a former British gas depot.

He said: "We would want a lot more information before we gave anything the go-ahead. We have had opposition to supermarket developments from shopkeepers in the past, so it is a sensitive issue."