PLANS to open a major new Boots store on an edge-of-town retail park have been approved despite claims from community leaders it would damage existing pharmacies, as well as the struggling city centre. Durham county councillors yesterday gave their overwhelming support to proposals to open a 7,000 sq ft pharmacy in the former Allied Carpets store on the Durham Retail Park, in Gilesgate Moor. The plans came under fire from Belmont Parish Council, the owners of the Gates shopping centre in Durham and from bosses at Leak Chemist of Belmont. Gilesgate ward councillor Les Thomson said: "There are already three pharmacies within a mile of each other whose trade in association with other shops has already been adversely affected by Tesco Extra, in Dragonville, which also has a pharmacy on its premises. "Insufficient consideration has been given to the adverse impact the sale of pharmaceutical products will have on these local businesses." Belmont Parish Council chairman Barbara Howarth: "The people who will suffer if any of these local pharmacies close down are those who do not have transport, including the elderly who live on their own." But county council principal planning officer Allan Simpson, who recommended councillors approve the plans, said there was little evidence the project would impact on local pharmacies. He said Boots had committed itself to its existing provision in the city centre through a financial contribution to shopfront improvements . He added, though the project was against existing planning policy, it was outweighed by Government policy to "ensure greater access to pharmaceutical services in accessible locations like large shopping centres where people already travel to". He said: "Clearly none of us want to see local shops and services diminished for reduced. "However, in this case, the NHS (North East Primary Care Services Agency) makes a clear distinction between those (pharmacies) that serve local needs and those that serve environments where large numbers of people visit, such as retail parks." He pointed out that Boots had already been given a licence by the NHS to trade at the retail park. Members of the central and east Durham area planning committee meeting in Easington approved the plans by seven votes to four. Boots is hoping to begin refitting the store in June and have it open in August, with the creation of eight full-time jobs and 15 part-time jobs.