A WILDFLOWER meadow can be created next to a new supermarket development after planners agreed that a staff car park could be ditched.

Supermarket giant Aldi is preparing to begin work on a former mill site between East Parade and Coney Lane in Keighley – a development that will include a larger Aldi store, a drive-thru restaurant - believed to be Tim Hortons, a row of smaller shops, and a large car park.

As part of the plans several buildings on Coney Lane, including the former Cricketer’s Arms pub, will be demolished.

The original plans were for the site of these buildings to be converted into a staff car park for the development.

But Aldi recently applied to Bradford Council to change these plans – replacing the car park with a wildflower meadow.

The company said the site will already have parking for 244 cars, and so the staff car park is not needed.

The changes have now been approved by Bradford Council.

The site will be landscaped with wildflower areas, trees and shrubs.

Planning officers said: “The original proposal was to simply substitute the car park with grassland. The applicant was requested to incorporate additional planting to better reflect the site’s location and connect with the wider site development.

“The scheme has been revised to include shrub planting to the frontage of the site and this is considered more appropriate.

“The introduction of further greening to the streetscape is welcomed and on balance the removal of parking to achieve this is supported.”