Tesco re-submit plans for Ilkley store

The chain has submitted an application to Bradford Council to renew permission for the supermarket, and redevelop its current Springs Land site as business units and a residential care home.

Plans for a bigger new store off Railway Road and Mayfield Road - initially rejected by a Bradford Council committee in 2009 - were passed on appeal by a Government planning inspector in September 2010, despite strong opposition from residents and organisations across the community.

But a condition was imposed requiring Tesco to build the store within three years.

Delays to the building work are believed to involve ongoing difficulties with planning conditions over drainage.

If approved, the new plans will extend the time limit for both developments.

The agent acting on behalf of Tesco says there are no planning policies or other material considerations which suggest planning permission will not be granted.

And Tesco recently confirmed it was still committed to building a replacement supermarket in Ilkley, despite announcing it had shelved plans for 100 other new stores nationally.

A ward councillor, however, called on the company to consider other options, such as redeveloping the existing store.

Coun Anne Hawkesworth (Ind, Ilkley), said: “Tesco are obviously keeping their options open. Perhaps we need to widen our campaign.

“It is baffling that when they are pulling out of white goods sales and abandoning stores in other areas that there hasn’t at least been an attempt at negotiating for better options for the two sites in question.”

In a statement Tesco said: “We remain committed to building a new store in Ilkley. Our current store remains very popular but we would like to offer our customers an even better shopping experience and have made the applications to renew the existing consents.”

Bradford Council has validated both planning applications, and they are now available for public comment.