A NATIONAL company will start work on its first autocentre in the Bradford district later this month.

Formula One was granted planning permission to build an autocentre on a site off Otley Road, in Shipley town centre, earlier this year.

Now the company has announced that work will start on site in late November, and should be completed by April.

The site, between the entrance to Crossley Evans scrap yard and the town’s Laura Ashley store, has been used as an informal car park since a car wash on the land was demolished over six years ago.

There are currently no Formula One Autocentres in the Bradford District, with the nearest one being in Leeds.

The company provides MOTs, servicing, tyres and car maintenance.

This development will be part of the company’s plans to expand into new areas of the country.

The application had been submitted by GMI Developments and said: “The site’s prominence leading into Shipley and proximity to the retail town centre make it ideal for redevelopment as a roadside use.”

It will create eight jobs initially, before expanding to 12 full time jobs.

Dessert parlour plan for former Shipley car dealership is approved

Approving the plans in June, planning officers at Bradford Council said: “The proposed industrial unit would be of a size, design and siting which would be in keeping with existing buildings in the immediate area.

“As such the proposed unit is not considered to result in any adverse visual amenity implications indeed it would tidy up a currently untidy site in a prominent location on a major transport route for Shipley.”

Announcing the start date for the site on Friday, a spokesman for the company said: “We are delighted to be able to bring forward a development on this prominent site close to Shipley town centre.

“We have been involved in the site for a number of years and its good news for everyone that we are bringing investment and new jobs to the district.”

Plans to build a drive thru coffee shop on the same site were approved several years ago, but were never implemented.

In the past year a number of developments in the immediate area of this site were approved by Bradford Council.

A planning application by Valli Forecourts to demolish the former Colin Appleyard showroom opposite this site and build a new petrol filling station, car wash and convenience store in its place was approved in August.

And an application by Sajid Sadiq to turn a neighbouring unit, that was also used by Colin Appleyard, into a dessert parlour, was also approved in August.