PLANNING permission has been granted to change an empty charity shop into a fish and chip restaurant and takeaway in Ilkley.

Unit 4 at The Moors Shopping Centre in South Hawksworth Street, Ilkley was previously a Barnardo's charity shop but has been stood empty for some time.

In a report granting planning permission a Bradford Council planning officer says: “The use of the unit as a restaurant/take away is considered as a main town centre use and a use which would support the existing businesses. The use of what is a secondary retail frontage would complement and bring life to the Moors Centre, possibly serving as an attraction in its own right, as well as bringing a vacant shop unit back into use. In this respect, the use has the potential to enhance the vitality and viability of this part of the Ilkley town centre.

“Although there are other takeaways and restaurants in close proximity, there is not over concentration of hot food takeaways or eating establishments in this area and the vitality and viability of the area would not be harmed as a result.”

The applicant says the business is proposed to operate between the hours of 11am to 9pm, Monday to Sundays.

The planning officer adds: “A degree of late night activity is normally a feature of town centres. This retail unit is modest in scale, and faces the main central car park serving Ilkley Town Centre.

“The small scale of the operation and degree of separation from

residential properties (it is located in the main car park area where levels of activity are greater in general) is such that the operation of this unit within these times and beyond does not raise any significant concerns in terms of effects on residential amenity. It is noted that a nearby public house/bar has restricted hours controlled by planning condition, but this has windows and doors facing across Cunliffe Road towards an elderly persons home whereas the application unit is set some distance from any noise sensitive premises so such concerns would not arise. It is not necessary to add a condition to control hours of operation.

“The rear of the building provides sufficient space for waste storage facilities so the unit has adequate arrangements for waste handling. On this basis, taking on board the location of the unit in the centre of town and the uses in the immediate vicinity, the proposal is not deemed to be significantly harmful to the amenity of the nearby residents.”

Ilkley Civic Society suggested the location of table and chairs within the covered walkway may be a nuisance to other tenants in the shopping centre, however, the planning officer says this would be a matter to be resolved by management if it became an issue.