A PLANNING officer has warned councillors they should not approve unsuitable applications just to fill an empty building.

On Wednesday, a planning panel was due to decide on an application to convert a large section of the Maharaja Fabrics warehouse on Cemetery Road into a 930 square metre retail unit.

The £250,000 conversion would create an estimated 20 jobs.

But officers had recommended that Bradford Council’s Bradford Area Planning Panel refuse the scheme.

They argued the large retail unit would draw business away from smaller local centres in Lidget Green and Girlington.

They also claimed it would lead to the loss of a large industrial space.

Planning officer Amin Ibrar said it was not clear from the applicants why such a huge retail space was needed.

He added: “There is a need for industrial uses, and a need for industrial land. Removing a large site from that category without justification is against planning policy.”

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Jo Steel, representing applicant Maharaja Textiles Ltd, pointed out that the UK economy was in a troubling state, and would be in a recession deeper than what will be seen in other countries.

He said this area of the warehouse was currently empty, creating no jobs. The retail use would generate 20 jobs.

He said there were no such similar shops in Lidget Green or Girlington for this new unit to steal trade from, and added: “If approved, a £250,000 capital investment could be made in this building now.”

Mr Ibrar said the application did not include the documents needed to prove the plans would be sustainable.

He said if there was a retail impact assessment that proved the business would be viable, and not harm neighbouring areas, they may have recommended approval.

Chair of the panel Councillor Sinead Engel (Lab, Clayton and Fairweather Green) said: “This would be creating employment. What if this isn’t approved, nothing happens to the building and it ends up derelict? We already have empty units all over the place.”

Mr Ibrar said: “Sometimes it is difficult, but wanting a building to be used doesn’t mean we should allow anything there. Planning policies are there to prevent inappropriate uses taking place.

“Yes this building needs a use, but it needs an appropriate use.”

Members voted to defer their decision on the plans to allow the applicants time to produce the reports that planners need to properly assess the impact of the new store.