Planners have rejected the much-opposed scheme for a bigger Tesco supermarket on a former factory site in Ilkley.

Bradford Council’s Keighley area planning panel today unanimously rejected plans for the new supermarket off Railway Road and Mayfield Road.

Councillors also rejected outline plans by Tesco for a residential care home, business and office units on its current supermarket site, Springs Lane.

They rejected the new store plan on the grounds of the inappropriate design and materials, highways impact on residents’ amenity and said it was unacceptable in an out-of-centre location, contrary to the council’s retail strategy.

However, planning officers ruled they could not cite road safety dangers as a reason to refuse the plan, as Tesco had offered to fund various highway works.

Dozens of Ilkley people turned up at the meeting, held at the King’s Hall theatre, Station Road, Ilkley, and members of the public joined ward councillors in speaking out against the plans.

Council planning officers had recommended the refusal of the new supermarket plan, but recommended that councillors should give the go-ahead to the plan to redevelop Springs Lane.

The plans were considered separately at the meeting.

Panel chairman, Councillor Chris Greaves (Con, Wharfedale) deemed the proposed design of the store ‘absolutely repulsive’.

Another panel member, Coun Doreen Lee (Lab, Keighley East), said the building would have looked ‘like an old chicken shed’ within a few years of it being constructed.

A representative of Tesco praised the ‘few brave souls’ who supported the new supermarket scheme, and said the plans followed Government planning guidance.