Plans for a multi-million pound Sainsbury's community store in the heart of Otley town centre have been submitted to planners this week.

The supermarket giant aims to build a store with a 20,000 square foot sales area on a site largely occupied by the fire station and other businesses off Bondgate.

Approximately 150 full and part-time jobs, which will be available solely for local residents, would be created.

Sainsbury's are currently in negotiations with the fire service and Park Lane College, Butterchurn Pine and Antiques, St John's Ambulance, Otley and District Gardeners' Association, M and M Meat Services and Otley Tool Centre about the possibility of relocating them elsewhere in Otley.

They have also offered to build a new fire station on another site in the town.

A Sainsbury's spokeswoman claimed that the store would give the flagging fortunes of Otley centre a timely boost.

The new food store will boast 20,000 product lines and will include fresh meat and delicatessen counters and a bakery.

Shopper access to the supermarket will be from Bondgate and deliveries will be to an entrance off Station Road.

The store will also have 224 car parking spaces which shoppers could use to visit other shops.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.