Durham planners are recommending approval of a planning application from the British Garden Centres group that would see the number of staff at its Easington centre increase from 10 to 300.

British Garden Centres (BGC), which runs nine other centres, bought the former ‘Plants ‘R’ Ross’ centre in March last year, re-naming it East Durham Garden Centre.

The proposals, which Durham County Council regards as major and which will represent a significant investment for BGC, include an enlarged retail space, play barn, restaurant, orangery and new accommodation for the manager.

A bigger car park with 448 spaces and electric re-charging points is alsop envisaged.

BGC says the development could generate 250 more jobs and another 50 part-time jobs.

Family-owned British Garden Centres, owned by brothers Charles and Robert Stubbs and Charles’s wife Phillipa says it has “very strong family and community values” and has told planners: “We purchase centres that are in a neglected, declining state and turn them around, in a very short space of time, into thriving garden centres in the heart of communities.

 “We always keep on any existing staff and then very quickly add to this, creating jobs within both our restaurants and in the garden centre for people in the local area, together with using local contractors and businesses to supply materials and labour during the redevelopments.

“We always aim to provide a friendly community-based environment for people to come and enjoy with high quality food in the cafes and a good selection of product at fair prices in the garden centres.

BCG’s other centre are at Brigg (Lincs,the flagship site), Middlesbrough, Chapel (Lincs), Brough (E.Yorks), Scarborough (N.Yorks), Roxton (Beds), Hornsea (E.Yorks), Burnley (Lancs) and Alford (Lincs).

In recommending approval ahead of Tuesday’s council meeting at Spennymoor, Durham CC’s planners say the project would generate significant job creation” and would secure the future of the business.