Ilkley Civic Society has lodged an objection against plans to demolish a shop and turn it into a drive-through café.

The development would involve the demolition of The Original Factory Store, off the A65 at Ben Rhydding, and the construction of a new drive through with four EV car charging bays.

The application does not specify which café chain would take on the new unit, but joint applicants the EG Group, founded by the billionaire Issa brothers, operate other sites that include Starbucks, Greggs and Krispy Kreme.

Ilkley Civic Society has a number of “major concerns” about the proposals, which have been submitted to Bradford Council.

Their objection says: “We suggest this is a poor solution for a key gateway site to the town.”

The Civic Society says that the shop was originally built as a car showroom and workshop in the early/mid 20th Century, and while conceding it is not architecturally significant they say: “It is of its period and with improved fascia detailing and less advertising could provide a feature at the entrance to Ilkley. This is a key Gateway site to the town and deserves a new building of some architectural standing should demolition is allowed.”

They further object on several grounds including:

• Effect on nearby residential properties: “The application is almost bereft of any consideration for the terrace of six Victorian houses opposite to the site”

• Design: “Clearly contemporary but says no more than a prefab box with little architectural interest and resembling a temporary ticket office on a major temporary event site”

• Increased noise levels: “With increased traffic (the café will fail if traffic levels do not increase) noise from that additional traffic and additional congestion noise levels will affect the residential amenity of local residents”

• Effect on town centre businesses: “We suggest that with one outlet (garden centre) within a short distance and another (McDonalds’ recent permission granted) another short distance away and a third (supermarket) before the town centre, that the demand for a drive through coffee shop is not there and would only reduce the amount of A65 traffic visiting town centre coffee shops.

In November last year a spokesman for the store said they had no knowledge of the application, and no plans to close the store.

But joint applicants the EG Group and Burley Development Group say they are liaising with the company, and have served notice of their plans to the landowner.