COUNCILLORS have rejected plans to turn a prominent town centre shop unit into a 100-plus seater restaurant.

Clothing retailer M&Co, which has had a shop at the Station Plaza unit on the corner of Station Road and Brook Street in Ilkley for 25 years, was among those who spoke out against the planning application.

Members of Bradford Council’s Keighley and Shipley area planning panel heard yesterday how replacing another shop unit with a restaurant could harm the town’s retail offer and may push town centre rents beyond the reach of shops.

The committee voted by four councillors to two to refuse planning permission, unconvinced of the need to change the unit from A1 retail use to a restaurant.

But an agent acting on behalf of the premise’s owner, Retail Plus General Partner Limited, told the meeting that the intention was to use the building as a restaurant with associated retail section when M&Co’s lease expires and a national restaurant chain wants to move in.

Italian restaurant chain Carluccio’s is rumoured to be the company interested in opening a restaurant at the premises.

There was concern among the councillors in the meeting that the retail tenant did not appear to have been consulted over the plans.