Traffic concerns may lead to Shipley dessert parlour plans being refused

Part of the former Colin Appleyard dealership on Otley Road had been earmarked as a potential new restaurant and cafe, with a planning application submitted by Sajid Sadiq for the building’s re-development.

But when the application goes before members of Bradford Council’s Keighley and Shipley Area Planning Panel next Wednesday, Councillors will be advised to refuse the plans.

The building, next to the Old House At Home pub, is on one of the busiest roads in the district. Although the plans would not allow traffic onto the site from Otley Road, highways officers raised concerns that cars might park illegally in front of the business if approval were granted.

Highways officers had spoken to the applicants about concerns cars may park in front of the business, rather than in nearby car parks, and they had agreed to create a boundary wall to stop cars getting onto the forecourt area from Otley Road. But officers say the applicants were unwilling to agree to a second request, that the applicants raise an existing dropped kerb to prevent customers parking on the pavement.

Filling station plan for former Shipley showroom site

Their response to the plans says: “ Leaving this (dropped kerb) in place will encourage drivers to straddle the footway with vehicles resulting in an obstruction to pedestrian and/or vehicular movements with highway safety concerns likely to arise.”

The report that will go before Councillor’s at the meeting says: “It is noted that the proposed use would bring a vacant building back into use and provide local employment opportunities in the town.

“It’s re-use will further contribute to the vitality of Shipley Town Centre by adding a new service to the town centre thus strengthening its role as a centre.

“Although acceptable in other respects, the key point of objection is the impact of the proposed use on highway safety.

“Whilst the new use as a restaurant / café would generate parking demand which could be accommodated in other town centre car parks, Highway Officers remain concerned that the use would result in indiscriminate short-term parking taking place on Otley Road - especially as there is a long dropped kerb along the site frontage permitting access by vehicles onto the footway.

“Leaving this dropped crossing in place will encourage customers arriving in cars to straddle the footway with the result that vehicles will obstruct pedestrian and vehicular movements.

“This can occasionally be seen to occur with visitors arriving at or being collected from the adjoining Old House at Home public house.”

It acknowledges that cars would have entered and exited the site when used as a car showroom, but that a cafe would see much more traffic. It adds: “The applicant’s business will rely on significantly higher volumes of customer visits to be profitable. It is acknowledged vehicles occasionally take advantage of the long dropped kerb along the frontage to pull in off the highway – mostly taxi firms visiting the nearby public house. However, the concern is that this activity would intensify following the change of use.”

The panel meets in Keighley Town Hall at 10am on June 26.