Plans for a Lidl supermarket which would create up to 40 jobs in Cockermouth have been approved.

Allerdale council's development panel voted in favour of the plans on Tuesday.

The company wants to demolish Fairfield Garage, Travis Perkins and WCF Pet and Equestrian.

It wants to build a replacement WCF shop alongside the planned 19,127sq ft Lidl store, which would be open from 8am to 10pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 4pm on Sundays.

Traffic access to the proposed development would be taken from Station Road, with a fourth exit added to the existing mini roundabout.

Delivery access will be from New Road to the north east of the site.

There would be parking for 90 cars.

Officers had recommended that councillors grant planning permission.

Councillor Adrian Davis-Johnston originally moved to approve the application subject to a condition being amended to require car parking charges at the supermarket, which he felt would ease congestion in Station Road.

That motion was lost, as was a motion by Councillor Carole Armstrong to arrange a site visit.

Coun Davis-Johnston them moved without the parking charges condition, seconded by Coun Malcolm Grainger, and the vote was won.

The plans have been approved subject to conditions including a requirement to submit a car park management plan and details of delivery bays and collapsible bollards.

Lidl revealed its plans for a Cockermouth store in October and held a public drop-in event.

Some residents questioned the need for another supermarket in the town, as well as raising concerns about parking.

Cockermouth currently has a Sainsbury's supermarket opposite the planned Lidl site, Aldi on Low Road and Co-op on Station Street.