Plans for new Bradford petrol station approved
It will replace the Regal Complex, a collection of buildings where White Abbey Road meets Whetley Hill.
PLANS to build a new petrol filling station on a major Bradford road have been approved on the second attempt.
The filling station, and a new shop linked to the development, will replace the Regal Complex, a collection of buildings where White Abbey Road meets Whetley Hill.
A similar application was refused by Bradford Council earlier this year after planners raised concerns ranging from the “visually intrusive” design to the poor site layout.
Urban Future Planning Consultancy Ltd submitted amended plans on behalf of applicants Pearl, and the altered plans have now been approved by the Council.
Officers said the fillings station would be and “acceptable use” of the site, and that the issues that led to the last application being thrown out have now been resolved.
The site was originally a filling station, but has since been converted to a restaurant, food businesses and car park.
The application, which will see the existing buildings on the site demolished, described the area as a “vibrant main road with an array of commercial uses, locally referred to as ‘Mini Bollywood’ given the array of fabric shops and diverse cuisine catered for the area’s Southeast Asian community.”
It said the development would “provide an opportunity for notable urban regeneration.”
There will also be parking for 17 cars – not including the spaces at the petrol pumps.
There had been five objections to the plans. Some objectors feared the filling station would increase pollution on the busy road. One said: “People come to the weddings in very fast loud cars, and they race along the road playing loud music and throwing fireworks in the middle of the road.”
But planners said a busy road into the city centre, with numerous other businesses on it, was a suitable location for a filling station and shop.
Approving the application, they said: “The site lies within a Local Centre with a mix of residential with some commercial units and, given the previous use i.e. garage and petrol filling station, the use would be acceptable.”
The filling station will open 24 hours a day, and the application had initially called for the shop on the site to also open 24 hours. However, planners raised concern that a store of this size opening for 24 hours a day could cause issues for people living nearby.
After discussions with the applicants, the opening hours for the shop were amended to 6am to midnight.