Store expansion plans lodged

5:12pm Thursday 27th September 2007

Supermarket giant Morrisons has submitted a revised plan for its £5m expansion of the Horsforth store.

The store has submitted an amendment to previous approval for alteration to frontage, single storey side extension and part single storey part two storey rear extension.

It is also putting forward a new car parking layout and access road to the supermarket and the change of use of part of its first floor storage to offices.

The store on Town Street already has planning permission for an expansion plan. Last year Leeds City council's Plans Panel West approved proposals to revamp the store on condition that it kept recycling facilities on the site.

The scheme included creating a new cafe, food preparation area, and travelator' and redesigning the store front.

Morrisons had also wanted to increase the level of parking from 187 to 196 spaces, by removing the plot's recycling bins.

But panel members decided it was too high a price to pay, and they voted to add the condition that the recycling facilities stay.

After the meeting the plan was described by Horsforth councillor Chris Townsley as "exactly what we wanted, an updated, long awaited store."

There had been widespread concern that the store was trying to squeeze too much onto the site when it put forward its first plan.

After approval was given last year MP Paul Truswell said the scheme still wasn't perfect but was a significant improvement on previous proposals.

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