A SAINSBURY'S store in Otley would attract people to the town, it was claimed this week.

Sainsbury's representatives also stressed smaller shops would not suffer and no building would start until new homes were found in the town for the fire station, the Otley Park Lane Centre and the St John Ambulance Brigade headquarters.

But residents and town councillors this week expressed concerns about potential traffic problems, the use of man-made materials and the siting of essential sprinkler tanks right next to houses on Station Road.

At Monday's town council planning committee meeting, representatives of the supermarket chain outlined changes Sainsbury's had made to its plan for a 20,000 square foot store in Bondgate.

Architect David Peel explained that more natural stone had been incorporated into the design, a timber pergola at the Bondgate entrance and the roof changed from single pitch to double pitch to make its appearance less obvious from the Chevin.

He added that the company's traffic consultants had been working with Leeds City Council's highways officers for the last six months and had now come to a satisfactory system of road measures to limit the store's impact.

Sainsbury's Sam Schofield said that the store would draw its trade from other supermarkets and that seeing as it would be in the town centre it would also draw shoppers into the area.

But angry residents called for more consultation on the plan and disputed the need for another supermarket in the town.

They also called for sprinkler tanks, which Sainsbury's said had to be installed by law, to be relocated from the present planned site next to houses on Station Road.

Mr Peel said the sprinkler tanks were required by law but that Sainsbury's were looking at putting them somewhere else on the site.

The store, which will generate around 200 full and part time jobs, expects to generate between seven and ten service vehicles every day to the site via Station Road.

In line with its other stores, it plans to make the 225 space car park free for the first two hours.

Sainsbury's also plans to retain a footpath to Myers Croft, which will pass through the site, and also resurface it and provide it with lighting.

Councillor Ray Dunn said the building would look out of place in an area dominated by natural stone.

"This is a natural stone area. I think it would be folly to allow such a building in this area, it would be fine somewhere else, but not here."

And residents of Station Road described the design of the store as resembling a 'giant breeze block hanger' that would take up a previously open space.

Coun Phil Coyne said he largely welcomed the scheme, but he had some concerns about the traffic and materials that would be used for the building.

"I would like to welcome the scheme by and largely, I think it will contribute to the vitality of the town, but there are legitimate concerns."

He said they were the service traffic the supermarket would generate and the amount of natural stone used, also how people would get across Bondgate into the store.

Sainsbury's is in talks with the owners of the fire station, St John Ambulance building, the Otley Park Lane Centre and the flats above the centre to find suitable accommodation elsewhere in the town.

The abbatoir, which is owned by Leeds City Council, will be bought by the supermarket chain.

Sainsbury's hopes its planning application, which has been with Leeds City Council for two years, will be considered by the council's Development Control Panel West next month.

An application to convert the old tannery in Gay Lane into residential use will also be considered.