AN application that would allow a Holme Wood shop to also be used as a take away has been refused by Bradford Council.

In late 2019 the Council approved plans to extend the Holme Foods store at 60 Halesworth Crescent. As well as significantly increasing the size of the convenience store, the plans included the construction of a maisonette above the unit.

Earlier this year an application to amend this plan was submitted by A Patel.

The new application called for the unit to be used as both a shop and a take away, along with the addition of two external flues to the previously approved plans.

The plans show part of the business would be set aside as a pizza preparation area.

But planning officers have now refused this latest application for a number of reasons - one of which being that the take away would be within 400m of schools and play facilities.

Bradford Council currently has a take away policy aimed at preventing take aways from opening near schools, parks, play facilities and leisure centres - unless they are in a "local centre" such as a town or village centre.

Introduced in 2014, the new policy was introduced as a way of reducing childhood obesity.

£1.4m works to Holme Wood facility will 'increase opportunities' for residents

It has led to scores of applications for take aways across the District being refused, but has also proved controversial, with some saying it limits local businesses.

Refusing the new application, planning officers said: "This proposal comes within the close proximity of a school and youth centred facilities and is within 400 metres of Springfield Community Garden, Ryecroft Primary School and Holme Wood Centre Point and playfields.

"In light of the location of the site and its proximity to the aforementioned schools and facilities, the principle of development is therefore unacceptable."

Officers also claimed the addition of a take away offer would cause issues in the mostly residential area.

They pointed out that the application did not give any details of operating times for the take away business, and said: "It is considered that the addition use of a hot food takeaway will create an intensification of the site and is likely to lead increased coming and goings from the site at unsocial hours and late at night that is considered to have significant adverse affect on the amenities of surrounding neighbouring properties and the occupiers to the flat above."

It said a take away element to the business would cause "noise, additional waste and general disturbance which such uses generate."

The work to the building that was approved in 2019 has already begin, but in the planning report officers point out that the work on the site does not match what was approved.

Where plans showed large windows on the shop frontage, officers visiting the site found that a solid brick wall had been built instead.

And they claimed two large flues that would be built on the development would be "incongruous features" in the area.