Controversial plans to turn part of an old library into a wine bar have taken a step closer to being approved.

Tony Lumb wants to open the bar on the ground floor of the listed building on the corner of Main Street and Foundry Hill in Bingley, which also has Bigfellas nightclub in its basement.

And his planning application looks certain to be rubber-stamped by Bradford Council despite claims that other businesses in the area are already suffering because of irresponsible drinkers using the club.

Robert Carr, who jointly runs RMs Dance and Fitness Studio with his wife Maureen on the first floor of the old library, said they already had problems with empty and broken glasses and bottles being left on Main Street and down the side and back of the old library.

"People are constantly urinating against the walls of the building on all three sides and in full view of the public," he told yesterday's meeting of the Council's Shipley area town and country planning sub-committee at Shipley Town Hall.

"Most Saturday mornings we have to clean up the front of the building due to the vomit left by people on their way to and from the club."

Mr and Mrs Carr have drawn up a petition of 120 names objecting to the scheme.

They say their business could be forced to close because there is a shared entrance to the ground and first floors and many women and children attending their classes would be put off by having to go past licensed premises.

Mr Carr also told the committee that the wine bar would add to the volume of traffic on Main Street and increase the danger in Foundry Hill where cars were already parking on double lines.

But afer visiting the site, councillors agreed to allow planning officers to give the scheme the go-ahead subject to details over the erection of a new fire escape.

They also agreed that Foundry Hill should be properly sealed off to traffic.

Kevin McDonnell, on behalf of the applicant, said the wine bar would house a maximum of 200 people and would have nothing to do with the existing nightclub.

"It would be an asset to Bingley," he told the committee.

Councillor Phil Thornton (Lab, Shipley East) said: "The building is in a poor condition and this application would certainly bring it back into use."

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