Member Article

New £8 million Tesco store to open in Silsden, creating 200 jobs

Plans for a new £8m Tesco store in Silsden near Bradford could create 200 new jobs.

The 20,000 sq ft development in Silsden is earmarked for a vacant site on Keighley Road, which previously housed the Becks Mill industrial buildings.

National planning consultancy Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners (NLP) is bringing forward the scheme on behalf of the site owner, and has been in discussions with Bradford Metropolitan District Council regarding the scheme for over 12 months.

NLP says the application for the 4.6 acre site is set to include a 20,000 sq ft Tesco foodstore, car parking and a petrol station, all accessed by a new junction off Keighley Road.

Anthony Greally, senior associate director at NLP, said: “The development will create around 200 permanent new jobs as well as additional jobs during construction.

“Silsden is currently lacking a main foodstore, with the largest being the Co-op on Bridge Street which comprises around 12,000 sq ft of net sales area.

“As a result, the majority of local residents currently travel out of the area to do their main food shopping.

“There is a need for a new, larger foodstore to enable residents of Silsden to more fully meet their food shopping needs locally, retain spending in the area and reduce travel distances.

“The proposed Tesco store, west of Keighley Road would address this need.”

Greally added: “There is currently a proposal for an Aldi foodstore in Silsden on land to the south of the Habasit industrial premises, on the east side of Keighley Road.

“The proposed Aldi store would, however, have a sales area comparable to the Coop store and would carry a more limited range of products than the Tesco store would provide.

“Aldi carries between 1,250 to 1,500 product lines compared to a full line foodstore, such as Tesco, which carries between 15,000 and 40,000 product lines.”

NLP is holding a public exhibition on Tesco’s plans at Silsden Methodist Church, on Wednesday January 22, between 3pm and 8pm and are inviting residents of Silsden to attend.

Should planning permission be granted by Bradford Metropolitan District Council construction would start later this year with the Tesco store opening in 2015.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Clare Burnett .