New retail development could be on the cards for significant Airedale Mills site in Shipley

A so called ‘screening request’ for the Airedale Mills site on Ives Street has been submitted to Bradford Council.

It is not a full planning application, but a sign the developer, Morbaine Limited in this case, is considering a potential future development by seeing what studies would be needed before the submission of a planning application.

A document from Nexus Planning says Morbaine intends to submit a planning application for the site’s redevelopment for retail purposes later this year.

It says: “The application site comprises of approximately 1.5 hectares and accommodates the Airedale Mills premises, which are occupied by Cardinal Shopfitting.”

According to the document, the proposed redevelopment of the site would include a foodstore, which would accommodate a ‘discount’ operator, two other retail units, the larger of which could include a convenience store, and a drive through coffee shop.

The development would provide an internal floorspace of around 3,927 sq.m and would include around 162 car parking spaces.

The site was previously subject to a planning application from Sainsbury’s, which was refused back in 2013 by Bradford Council.

It was part of a fiercely competitive three-way contest to build a new supermarket in the town. Bradford-based Morrisons won the battle, but later confirmed it was pulling out of the scheme - which also included 101 homes, a petrol station, a commercial development and an extension to Shipley railway station’s car park at the Crag Road site - for commercial reasons.

The document states: “Neighbouring uses are largely commercial in character and the proposed use is considered to be consistent with the surrounding area.

“The premises have been occupied in recent years by Cardinal Shopfitting.

“Whilst the business partly relocated to Fernhill House in Bradford in 2016, it still uses the premises for storage purposes.”

It adds: “It is proposed that the units are orientated as such that the foodstore will occupy the western part of the site, with the two other retail units to the east.

“The drive-thru coffee shop will be located on the southern part of the site.”

It says the proposed layout will provide for pedestrian access through the site down to the River Aire.

“Morbaine Limited remains in discussions with interested parties in respect of the future operation of units,” the document says. “But it is not envisaged that the application proposal will be submitted with named operators formally associated with the development.”

Nexus Planning sets out that, in its opinion, there will be “no significant environmental effects arising from the development” and as such is requesting the Council adopts a ‘screening opinion’ to confirm the proposals do not represent EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) development.