GMI Holdings Limited wants to build on Crossley Evans site owned by rail companies

7:00am Thursday 7th February 2013 in News Photograph of the Author Exclusive By Chris Holland, Business Reporter

The Crossley Evans site in Otley Road, Shipley Buy this photo » The Crossley Evans site in Otley Road, Shipley

Plans are to be submitted for a £20 million retail scheme which developers say will create up to 450 jobs in Shipley and transform access to the town centre.

If approved, a supermarket will be built on the eight-acre site currently occupied by scrap dealers Crossley Evans, which has operated in the town since just after the First World War.

The plans, drawn up by Leeds-based GMI Holdings Limited, include an 80,000 sq ft food superstore, petrol station and 364 covered parking spaces on the prominent site, which lies between Otley Road and the railway line.

But Crossley Evans, the current tenant of the site, today raised strong concerns about the proposals and pointed out that there had been no detailed discussions with the developers about the plans.

The site is jointly owned by Network Rail and DB Schenker Rail.

Crossley Evans boss Matthew Evans fears the supermarket scheme could cost jobs at his business if the development gets the go-ahead.

Mr Evans said 99 per cent of materials recycled for businesses and local authorities was transported by rail to the scrapyard’s own railhead near Shipley station. It would be difficult to find and develop an alternative site and Crossley Evans would risk losing contracts and having to cut staff. More than 30 people are employed at the Shipley site, with three at its Halifax operation.

Mr Evans said: “We have no desire to move. It would be very difficult to find a site to suit our needs and the environmental impact of losing the rail link and moving materials by road would be negative.

“It would not be easy to up sticks and relocate, given the amount of material and equipment we have here.

“GMI has obviously seen the potential of this site but there have been no formal discussions or detailed communications about their ideas.”

GMI Holdings is preparing to submit its planning application to Bradford Council next month. It will hold a public consultation event on Friday, February 15, at Shipley Library, Well Croft, between 2pm and 7pm.

It said the idea was to regenerate the ‘southern gateway’ to Shipley, improve pedestrian links between the railway station and the town centre to encourage more shoppers, and create opportunities for existing businesses.

GMI Holdings said the development could create up to 350 new jobs when the store opened. It described the plans as “crucial” to the Council’s plans to regenerate that part of Shipley.

The plan is the second major supermarket scheme being proposed for Shipley. It follows a planning application for redevelopment of the Salts Mill Road site of shopfitting firm Cardinal, which is looking to move.

Chris Gilman, managing director of GMI Holdings, said: “It is widely recognised that Shipley town centre is in need of an additional food store, a fact confirmed by Bradford Council’s own research. The scrapyard site is presently the first impression people gain when arriving in Shipley by train or car from the south; it has a huge amount of untapped potential to act as a catalyst for the regeneration of this part of the town.”

In 1994 GMI Holdings built the Waterside building at Saltaire which became the headquarters of electronics group Filtronic. GMI bought the building back for £6 million in 2007 after Filtronic downsized.

e-mail: chris.holland@telegraphandargus.co.uk

Comments(38)

Joedavid says...
8:12am Thu 7 Feb 13

If the site were vacant excellent idea, but it not right for Crossley Evans.

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thatsnotmyname says...
8:29am Thu 7 Feb 13

I hate that scrapyard, get rid of it. What kind of town has such a business located so close to the town centre? My only concern is traffic. Unless Canal road and the bridge going over the railway is widened then it would be gridlock heaven. Maybe the developers would pay to have this done which of course would be great for Shipley and the council.

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JBillingsley says...
8:32am Thu 7 Feb 13

Shipley does not need another supermarket. ASDA, for all the jobs it provides has done it's best to kill off any independent businesses. This would do for the rest...

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Avro says...
8:37am Thu 7 Feb 13

Asda will most definately appeal the supermarket part of the plan, as it would be on their doorstep and it could also kill off the town centre

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holden caulfield says...
8:42am Thu 7 Feb 13

certainly not needed and access would be a nightmare of new road building. Daft, plain Daft!

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webess says...
9:00am Thu 7 Feb 13

Avro wrote:
Asda will most definately appeal the supermarket part of the plan, as it would be on their doorstep and it could also kill off the town centre
Asda may not like having another supermarket nearby, but it's not grounds for a planning appeal.

I wonder who the new supermarket is - my money is on Sainsbury.

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collos25 says...
9:13am Thu 7 Feb 13

webess wrote:
Avro wrote:
Asda will most definately appeal the supermarket part of the plan, as it would be on their doorstep and it could also kill off the town centre
Asda may not like having another supermarket nearby, but it's not grounds for a planning appeal.

I wonder who the new supermarket is - my money is on Sainsbury.
I think you will find having another supermarket in the vicinity is grounds for the objection of planning - if they appeal of course.

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thatsnotmyname says...
9:15am Thu 7 Feb 13

Lidl I reckon.

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Bingban says...
9:19am Thu 7 Feb 13

Would be another nail in the town centres coffin. Certainly not driven by shopping need. But the well used arguement of improving the environment ticks a lot of boxes. Plenty of losers but only fat cat land owner/developer winners. Only car oriented - what a route for peds from the bus station - but hey they could move the bus terminus and let the town centre die - then it would be competition between Asda and M/S/T. This idea should be scotched without delay

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Joedavid says...
9:27am Thu 7 Feb 13

Well we have Sainsburys and Asda mentioned above.
Surely if it Sainburys then they just get sites and do nothing with them, eg. Bingley.
The Asda in Shipley is too small for purpose so it might well be them.
Won't be Tesco they got a giant store a mile away on same road.
Morrisons appear to be downsizing into local sized shops with M-Locals.

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thatsnotmyname says...
10:03am Thu 7 Feb 13

Bingban wrote:
Would be another nail in the town centres coffin. Certainly not driven by shopping need. But the well used arguement of improving the environment ticks a lot of boxes. Plenty of losers but only fat cat land owner/developer winners. Only car oriented - what a route for peds from the bus station - but hey they could move the bus terminus and let the town centre die - then it would be competition between Asda and M/S/T. This idea should be scotched without delay
I disagree, I think it would bring more people into the town, would give more places to park as well.

The council / planning dept would make sure there is adequate access for pedestrians.

The town centre has been in a zombie state for a long time, the only shops that seem to stick around are charities. I can't see how this plan would effect them. There is obviously a demand for it else the developers wouldn't be thinking of sinking millions into it.

Scrapyards don't belong in towns, they should be in industrial areas.

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markjoe says...
10:13am Thu 7 Feb 13

Joedavid wrote:
Well we have Sainsburys and Asda mentioned above.
Surely if it Sainburys then they just get sites and do nothing with them, eg. Bingley.
The Asda in Shipley is too small for purpose so it might well be them.
Won't be Tesco they got a giant store a mile away on same road.
Morrisons appear to be downsizing into local sized shops with M-Locals.
I would tend to agree with you there, the current Asda is has too many customers for the size of the store so they could decide to move. Sainsburys are looking at their development plan and as they wouldn't be building this then it could be worthwhile for them. But if you take into consideration that the other planned supermarket development then I'm not sure how this would work as Asda could move to one and Sainsburys the other but that would then leave the current Asda site vacant, maybe the Co-op, Can't see Booths or Waitrose doing well there.

To me this is scheme hasn't been though out thoroughly

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RollandSmoke says...
10:55am Thu 7 Feb 13

Which genius thought of this? Have you seen the traffic problems we have already as people battle to get through the traffic lights above at rush hour? Is this on top of the other proposed superstore for Shipley reported only a week or two back? These people are insane. It is neither wanted or needed. "GMI Holdings is preparing to submit its planning application to Bradford Council next month. It will hold a public consultation event on Friday, February 15, at Shipley Library, Well Croft, between 2pm and 7pm". If you can't find it follow the signs for the Asda supermarket, their carpark will have plenty of spaces free for you and it's just round the corner before you hit all the charity shops.

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webess says...
10:57am Thu 7 Feb 13

markjoe wrote:
Joedavid wrote:
Well we have Sainsburys and Asda mentioned above.
Surely if it Sainburys then they just get sites and do nothing with them, eg. Bingley.
The Asda in Shipley is too small for purpose so it might well be them.
Won't be Tesco they got a giant store a mile away on same road.
Morrisons appear to be downsizing into local sized shops with M-Locals.
I would tend to agree with you there, the current Asda is has too many customers for the size of the store so they could decide to move. Sainsburys are looking at their development plan and as they wouldn't be building this then it could be worthwhile for them. But if you take into consideration that the other planned supermarket development then I'm not sure how this would work as Asda could move to one and Sainsburys the other but that would then leave the current Asda site vacant, maybe the Co-op, Can't see Booths or Waitrose doing well there.

To me this is scheme hasn't been though out thoroughly
I think you'll find it's been more than thoroughly thought through - would you kick off a long standing tenant on the speculative hope of a supermarket taking the site?

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fish'n'chips says...
10:57am Thu 7 Feb 13

A bit of a risk but it can't be any worse than having the scrap yard there as it is a big eyesore to be so close to the town centre. I live very near the proposal and i welcome it as it may be the boost Shipley needs and it should make the pedestrian access to shipley from valley road and the station easier.

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Joedavid says...
10:58am Thu 7 Feb 13

RollandSmoke wrote:
Which genius thought of this? Have you seen the traffic problems we have already as people battle to get through the traffic lights above at rush hour? Is this on top of the other proposed superstore for Shipley reported only a week or two back? These people are insane. It is neither wanted or needed. "GMI Holdings is preparing to submit its planning application to Bradford Council next month. It will hold a public consultation event on Friday, February 15, at Shipley Library, Well Croft, between 2pm and 7pm". If you can't find it follow the signs for the Asda supermarket, their carpark will have plenty of spaces free for you and it's just round the corner before you hit all the charity shops.
Beware there is a limit to time you can park there, Asda apply fines.

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Albion. says...
11:09am Thu 7 Feb 13

Last week we read of the possibility of a supermarket in Salts Mill Road, how many more will the community support? We read of created jobs with this proposed development, but how many would be lost if Crossley were to relocate or close?

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Scargutt2 says...
11:09am Thu 7 Feb 13

If there's one thing this country needs, it's another supermarket. I won't be happy until the whole of the UK is wall to wall supermarket.

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RollandSmoke says...
11:10am Thu 7 Feb 13

Tell you what lets have another one on the site where the cinema burnt down, Just up the road from Aldi and next to the equally gridlocked Fox corner traffic lights. If your going to destroy what little independent business we have left in Shipley you might as well do it right. Tarmac over a section of the canal for carparking.

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Sally Way says...
11:42am Thu 7 Feb 13

I feel it's too late to control the retail impact. With so many super markets in Bradford it has already destroyed local businesses.

The government need to stop these supermarkets selling everything. They want to sell clothes, car insurance, petrol, life insurance, anything but everything. The wages they pay are disgusting.

No one is prepared to protect the small businesses.

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Shipleyvegas says...
12:25pm Thu 7 Feb 13

The scrapyard may not be the prettiest business but it is a WORKING VIABLE business that has stormed through a recession, employs 30 local people and from my experience is professionally run. Just because it is a bit grubby don't be so NIMBYish -

This is a ridiculous plan, invest in the town centre to give the local shops some help competing with Asda then we won't need any more supermarkets

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wobbley-bob says...
1:15pm Thu 7 Feb 13

Shipleyvegas wrote:
The scrapyard may not be the prettiest business but it is a WORKING VIABLE business that has stormed through a recession, employs 30 local people and from my experience is professionally run. Just because it is a bit grubby don't be so NIMBYish -

This is a ridiculous plan, invest in the town centre to give the local shops some help competing with Asda then we won't need any more supermarkets
Couldn't agree more...The scrapyard has been there longer than the nimbys who are doing the moaning.
I'm willing to bet it was there before they were even born.
.
It's a bit like the idiots who move to Yeadon, then complain about aeroplanes & the airport... lol

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RollandSmoke says...
1:46pm Thu 7 Feb 13

Please Shipley residents, if at all possible get down to the "public consultation event" to counter the yes men that will no doubt be shipped in on a coach laid on by GMI Holdings Ltd.

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Saltaire Bantam says...
3:19pm Thu 7 Feb 13

I hope it is not a gypo supermarket like Lidl. Shipley would go right down the drain if it is.

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sorrow&anger says...
3:22pm Thu 7 Feb 13

This is City Hall planning in a vacuum again. Apart from this announcement we have the superstore in Salts Mill Road, the Holme Mill 'retail park', Buck Lane, new houses in Menston etc etc.

All these will put traffic on Otley Road and through Fox's corner resulting in something close to gridlock at peak times. Nothing more certainly ensures the failure of a shop then a gridlocked access road.

The Council must provide new roads before they allow any more building.

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thatsnotmyname says...
3:42pm Thu 7 Feb 13

RollandSmoke wrote:
Please Shipley residents, if at all possible get down to the "public consultation event" to counter the yes men that will no doubt be shipped in on a coach laid on by GMI Holdings Ltd.
I'll be going down to vote for the development and it's 450 jobs if the plan is viable as will most Shipley people I think.

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androo4519 says...
3:48pm Thu 7 Feb 13

I would have thought access was too poor unless they do some major road building.
Is Crossley Evans just renting the site? Can they simply be turfed out after all these years? Seems a shame.
Only people coming into Shipley by train from Bradford pass the scrapyard, and you can't see it from the town centre so it's no eyesore really. People coming from Bradford have seen worse!
I've always found it rather interesting – I wouldn't be able to say that about yet another supermarket. How many do we need?

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shipley pride says...
4:06pm Thu 7 Feb 13

I don't think a plan for a supermarket on this site has got a hope in hell, one word traffic. To all the people who think the scrap yard should move, Crossleys has been on this site for years, it's all I remember, eyesore? Not for a young lad growing up, I used to watch the yard for hours, why should they move?

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RollandSmoke says...
4:17pm Thu 7 Feb 13

thatsnotmyname wrote:
RollandSmoke wrote:
Please Shipley residents, if at all possible get down to the "public consultation event" to counter the yes men that will no doubt be shipped in on a coach laid on by GMI Holdings Ltd.
I'll be going down to vote for the development and it's 450 jobs if the plan is viable as will most Shipley people I think.
Are they including the construction workers in that figure and those brought in to install the self service tills? Yes 450 jobs would be great for Shipley but once completed I would be suprised to see more than 50 working there and then only if it's 24 hours. I believe the knock on effects of loss of business elsewhere combined with the extra traffic in an area prone to getting clogged would put us back to where we started employment wise, if not worse.

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Bingban says...
4:51pm Thu 7 Feb 13

When you talk about jobs being created just think about all those shops that have closed recently, all those charity shops that occupy what was once a smashing town centre. The impact of one roof shopping simply provides one destination and on the whole, one weekly shop. There is much invested in the town centre and the threat from another of the big four (Lidle etc will not take 80,000sq ft) will probably result in the few butchers bakers etc leaving the Square. Perhaps they may take one of the small shops next to the new supermarket if provided leaving another gap or two in the Square shopping frontage - But then perhaps they will just close and a few more jobs will be traded - some may say a good trade but think about the small shops in Saltaire Frizinghall etc they cannot go on losing trade, closing and more job losses and then not end up being takeaways. Then there are the existing jobs on site. And are they likely to relocate - where to no one likes a scrap yard close by!! The reality is that the developer will employ a specialist planner with all the usual arguments of environmental improvement, another set of traffic lights supporting the local community.He will cost a lot because there is so much money to be made by the fat cat developer land owners. But I think it would not make a positive contribution to the economy of Shipley or the qualirty of shopping that isnt alredy there. The low level of the site will simply mean there will only be an access road down with no road frontage in Shipley other than a dirty great advert No on the whole its a bad proposal - some minor pluses but lots of minuses

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twinkle1965 says...
5:12pm Thu 7 Feb 13

Dont think it will ever happen, just like all the other plans the council have for Bradford. All talk and meetings that never come to anything, think they make it all up just so they look like they doing a job for the big wages they get !
All the new houses they were planning to build, have any started yet ??? All talk.

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Johsay says...
5:50pm Thu 7 Feb 13

Judging by the drawing of the store, it's likely to be Sainsbury's but the store location isn't ideal and it's not like there is a complete absence of competition either.

Asda trades very well, overtrades in fact for it's size, there is Enterprise 5 Morrisons not too far away, similarly Tesco Peel just on Canal road.

Seems a bizarre location.

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Outraged English Subject says...
6:40pm Thu 7 Feb 13

Keep the scrapyard it’s after all an on-going business. If the powers that be insist on the development of another supermarket then Waitrose is the only option. Just got to love the Duchy range, no horse meat there!

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Therealdave says...
6:57pm Thu 7 Feb 13

It seems to me the reason why Shipley is losing tenants for its shops dates back to Bradford council near enough banning cars from the town centre to make room for .pedestrians,! And empty buses. Gone are the days when I, working a busy day, would pop into good old woolworths and park right outside. Why close down scary crane yard which has been there, along with the previous coal yard, for near a hundred years and still sends out scrap metal collected from all over the area, to the steel works by the RAILWAYS. How much of the food e.t.c coming to this, projected, supermarket will come by rail? Not a crumb I bet but another thousand tonnes of metal for reprocessing will be lost to rail travel every week and will have to go by road instead

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Stevie-C says...
8:18pm Thu 7 Feb 13

Yet another huge rip-off supermarket that isn't required, just for the sake of it. If this goes ahead, it will shut down any independent retailers shipley has left, as well as adding to the horrendous traffic problems already being experienced. Why not build a leisure park (cinema, 10-pin etc) with a nice big outdoor play area for kids for the summertime for example?? And least the hard-pressed public will get something out of it

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What now says...
9:41pm Thu 7 Feb 13

NOOOOOO, we need to get away from these big supermarkets...out of centre shopping plaza's, why do you think, the likes of Bradford town centre is the way it is....Super markets are renowned for selling everything, they want everything, like morrison at idle, they have a clothes store, a dry clean, sell food(original), now they sell alcohol, flowers, what more can these greedy machines want, I say no and concentrate on small market area's, restore the sense of community in the community.

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Not so simple says...
2:12pm Fri 8 Feb 13

The council has ruined the City centre of Bradford,now they are going to ruin the suburbs.

They are not going to stop. These new supermarkets and shopping centres are going to have an adverse affect on the town centre....more empty shops.

Great planning and foresight again

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davidh66 says...
7:17pm Sat 9 Feb 13

fish'n'chips wrote:
A bit of a risk but it can't be any worse than having the scrap yard there as it is a big eyesore to be so close to the town centre. I live very near the proposal and i welcome it as it may be the boost Shipley needs and it should make the pedestrian access to shipley from valley road and the station easier.
The scrapyard has been ther from just after the 1st world war. If its si much of a eyesore why decide to live near there.

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