A NEW Lidl supermarket and Costa Coffee can be built on the JCT600 site on Sticker Lane after plans for a new retail development were approved.

Proposals for a multi-million-pound retail development to replace the JCT600 Accident Repair Centre at Sticker Lane were revealed late last year.

It would see the existing JCT600 building demolished and replaced with the supermarket and a drive-thru Costa, with the application predicting the two new businesses would create around 48 jobs.

The application, by JCT600 (Properties) Ltd, said the company would be relocating to a new site, as the Sticker Lane building was “outdated and no longer meets business needs".

Plans include a 1,907 square metre Lidl food store with 128 parking spaces and a new 179 square metre-Costa, with 29 car parking spaces.

There would be a small number of EV charging points, and the developers would pay to upgrade a neighbouring bus stop.

The plans had to be re-drawn earlier this year after Yorkshire Water raised concern that the Costa would be built over a water main.

However, planners said the applicants had addressed these concerns, and approved the development this week.

There had been just one representation made to the Council by a member of the public – raising concerns over noise.

Planning officers pointed out that the proposal is currently used for employment and the loss of such a site should normally be avoided.

But they added: “The supporting information details that the current owners and operators will be relocating to new premises as the development site is under-utilised and the building is outdated and no longer meets the business needs.

“The site is currently of little merit, underutilised and overgrown in areas and the only building is a generic industrial style building of brick and metal cladding.”

The shopping centre plans will see more trees planted on the grassed area between the site and Sticker Lane.

Referring to the development’s impact on other local businesses, planners said: “The development is unlikely to have a significant adverse impact on vitality and viability of centres within its catchment and the proposal will facilitate regeneration of the area and provide an opportunity for employment.

“The scheme provides a retail scheme on previously-developed land.

“The scale, form, layout and design of the proposal are acceptable and present no concerns with regard to residential amenity and highway safety.”