PLANS for a fish and chip restaurant in the “eyesore” former Station Master’s House in Bingley have been recommended for approval despite objections.

The Victorian building, in Park Road, was bought by Bingley Property Holdings (BPH) after standing empty for the last 20 years.

The joint applicants are Hopscotch Taverns, run by Jo and Matt Hogg, licensees of the Brown Cow pub, also in Bingley, and Bingley Property Holdings, run by directors Councillor David Heseltine and Bingley Town councillor Andrew Fenton.

The 28-seater restaurant, which would create 15 jobs, would be the Hoggs’ second business venture in the town and the pub would remain open and under their ownership.

Under the plans, a new level threshold and ramp will be provided off Park Road with an extension to the side and back of the building, which is required to create enough space for a disabled toilet and restaurant area.

The application will go before the Keighley & Shipley Area Planning Panel on Tuesday, February 6. Bradford Council received 15 objections and five letters of support for the plan.

One of the objectors was from Bingley Town Council (BTC), which said the restaurant would cause highway issues with delivery vehicles, and had concerns over increase in littering and lack of adequate parking. BTC also says there is an “abundance of fast food venues and sites selling alcohol already in the town.

Supporters of the plans say the vacant and eyesore building needs to be re-used and there is no sit-down fish and chip restaurant in Bingley.

Previous planning applications for the site, in 2006, 2007 and 2008, have all previously been refused and included a demolition of the house. Other refused applications included a hot food takeaway and separate proposals for six and eight apartments.

The report to the area panel concludes: “The use would achieve the delivery of sustainable development through securing the viable reuse of this building as a prominent heritage asset, securing employment and achieving public benefits particularly through tidying up a prominent site.”

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The developers have already carried out work at the site including excavating a trench and building foundations of the proposed extension and the lower part of the walls of the extension. The council’s planning enforcement service investigated and the developer was advised to stop this work.

The building’s previous owners, Whetley Mills Limited, of Thornton Road, Bradford, put the building up for sale in June.