COUNCILLORS will decide whether to approve plans to expand a hospital's car park by over 300 spaces at a meeting tomorrow.

Airedale NHS Foundation Trust plans to demolish a number of empty buildings, formerly used as staff accommodation to the north of Airedale Hospital.

An application recently submitted to Bradford Council calls for the land to then be turned into a 314 space car park for staff of the hospital.

The plans will also include the installation of a number of electric car charging points.

The application will be discussed by members of the Council's Keighley and Shipley Area Planning Panel tomorrow morning.

Planning officers have recommended the application be approved.

Steeton with Eastburn Parish Council has objected to the plans, saying the car park expansion will have a negative effect on traffic and road safety in the area, and cause disturbance to neighbouring properties.

But planning officers say: "In considering the Parish Council’s concerns it is important to appreciate that the size of the hospital is not increasing by anything proposed by this application, nor are other facilities being added that would intensify present levels of traffic activity.

"The additional car parking is essentially providing extra parking infrastructure on the site of surplus buildings and formalising the existing parking on the poorly surfaced area to meet demand for parking for existing staff numbers."

The panel meets in Keighley Town Hall at 10am.