Wildflower meadow to be included in Keighley development

Supermarket giant Aldi is preparing to begin work on a former mill site between East Parade and Coney Lane, with the new development including a relocated, much larger Aldi for Keighley, a drive thru cafe and a row of small shops.

The plans will see a row of derelict mill buildings and the former Cricketers’ Arms pub on Coney Lane demolished.

Initially Aldi had planned to create a 22 space staff car park on the Coney Lane side of the development – to the rear of the new supermarket.

But now the company has applied to Bradford Council to scrap this car park, and replace it with a wildflower meadow and landscaped area.

The application says the site will already have parking for 244 cars, and so the 22 space car park off the Coney Lane side is not needed.

It says the location of the car park would have been “inconvenient to staff” and adds: “A lack of surveillance would create potential for the car park being used for anti-social behaviour.

“The proposed landscaping would create a high standard of amenity for existing and future users, but create an area not intended to be used by the public, reducing the risk of anti-social behaviour.”

A decision on the amended plan is expected in December.