Fish and chip shop owner Michael Wood is suffering sleepless nights over the future of his fledgling business, opened at a cost of £35,000.

For Calderdale councillors have still not made a final decision on his retrospective planning application for Bridge Fisheries, Bradford Road, Bailiff Bridge, Brighouse, since it was lodged eight months ago.

The development control sub committee has discussed the application twice already and resolved it was mindful to refuse it because of fears about traffic dangers from customers parking on busy Bradford Road.

A 580-name petition objecting to the business because of concern about road safety has also been submitted to the Council. One of the signatories is Raymond Ward, owner of Bailiff Bridge Fisheries which is about 150 yards down the road from Mr Wood's premises. He is on holiday and unavailable for comment.

Mr Wood, who has been in the fish and chip trade for 18 years and owned five chippies in Bradford, has collected a 550-name petition signed by customers and local residents supporting his bid.

But the agonising wait for father-of-two Mr Wood, 50, and his disabled wife Linda, 48, could be over on September 1 when councillors meet in private to discuss a confidential planning officer's report on the application, advising whether or not approval should be given.

Mr Wood, of Brearcliffe Grove, Wibsey, Bradford, said: "I can't sleep at night and my wife has been ill with worrying about what is going to happen to the business.

"We are living in limbo. I can't even advertise my business until the councillors make a decision."

His nightmare began when he took over the lease on his premises - previously an Indian takeaway - the flat above and an adjoining empty former pizza takeaway shop in December.

Mr Wood said: "Two days before opening my business, a local shopkeeper asked me if I was aware the owner of the Indian takeaway, which had been running for four years, did not have planning permission to run a hot food takeaway.

"I had no idea this was the case and my estate agent Ernest Wilson was not aware of this either. I assumed because the pizza place had planning permission, it also applied to the shop next door because they had the same owner.

"I have spent £35,000 on the premises but it could be for nothing. Some people think I am trying to get planning permission through the back door but I am not trying to deceive the councillors."

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