PLANS to open a take away in a former Co-Op store have been refused by Bradford Council.

The application to convert the now empty store on Greenside Lane in Cullingworth had divided the village since being submitted in Spring.

But Bradford Council has now refused the proposals, saying the opening of a take away, expected to specialise in pizzas, near a school and other village facilities would go against Council policies.

The shop, on Greenside Lane, has been empty for a number of years since a new Co-Op was built on the junction of Greenside Lane and Halifax Road.

A planning application to divide the building into two units, one of which would be a take away, was submitted by Benjamin Frudd earlier this year.

The plans received a mixed response from residents, with 29 people writing to Bradford Council to object and 31 writing to support the plans.

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Objectors raised concerns over extra traffic, litter and an increase in noise from the unit. Another said there was already a pizza take away in the area, and one in Bingley which delivered.

Supporters said it would bring an empty building back into use and create more jobs for Cullingworth.

In 2014 Bradford Council adopted a new policy on take aways.

Part of a bid to improve public health and reduce childhood obesity, planning permission would no longer be granted to any new take away within 400 metres of a school, park or other leisure facility likely to be frequented by children.

Refusing this application, officers pointed out that the take away would be within 400 metres of several such facilities.

They said: “The application site is less than 400 m from Parkside School, The Village Primary School in addition to the local park/recreation field, Village Hall and local Cricket Club.

“As such the proposal is unacceptable in principle.”

Highways officers also raised concerns about the proposals, saying they were unable to support the application to turn the single store into two new businesses, claiming it would “intensify” the use of the site.

They claimed the two businesses would require at least 14 parking spaces.

The application would only provide six.

Highways officers added: “This parking shortfall would be unacceptable and likely to lead to lead to overspill parking on the highway, obstructing the free flow of traffic where on street parking is already in demand.

“The nature of parking a takeaway tends to generate is short stay, (i.e. delivery drivers or customers briefly collecting) and if parking is unavailable in the dedicated car park these drivers may risk indiscriminately parking on existing waiting restrictions or may enter the car park to collect then reverse onto the highway to exit, which would be detrimental to highway safety.”