Residents wanting to speak up on plans to house a Co-op convenience store in a village library building are being urged to write to Bradford Council as well as parish councillors.

A planning application to extend Burley-in-Wharfedale library, on Grange Road, allowing the Co-op to move into the ground floor, has now been submitted, and Bradford Council has opened a public consultation period.

Burley Parish Council is a statutory consultee in the process, and its planning committee will meet on Monday October 17 to consider the plans, and draw up the council’s official response.

Scores of people have already attended a previous committee meeting, and had their say at a special neighbourhood forum meeting. The parish council says a “large number” of residents contacted it, expressing views before the planning application was submitted.

Now it is encouraging all interested members of the community to make their views known officially to both the parish council and Bradford Council.

“Comments for and against the proposal should be based on valid planning grounds and copied to both councils,” said the parish council.

Views can be sent to the parish council by e-mail to parishclerk@burley-in-wharfedale.org or in writing to Burley Parish Council, Queen’s Hall, Main Street, Burley in Wharfedale, LS29 7BT. The planning application was submitted by Ilkley company Fairbrook Developments Ltd. It includes the refurbishment and extension of Burley Library to provide a new Co-operative convenience store on the ground floor with storage, staff rooms, car parking and a first floor extension to enable the library to relocate into new purpose built premises.

The Co-op currently occupies a shop on Station Road. Full details of the planning application can be found at Bradford Council’s Public Access planning website at planning4bradford.com/online-applications/ and Burley Parish Council's website burley-in-wharfedale. org/bpc/, and a copy of the planning notice can be seen at the library.