A business park is set to be approved by planners, despite more than 350 people objecting to the scheme.

Applicant Halton Homes hopes to redevelop the Hope Iron Works site in Dick Lane, Tyersal, Bradford, a move which it says would create 140 jobs.

The 1930s brick factory buildings and yards would be replaced by 19 industrial units, a restaurant and a convenience shop under the £3.9 million scheme. But many people in the area are not happy, saying the development would harm businesses, add to congestion and hit local property values. A 359-signature petition has been sent to Bradford Council ahead of a planning meeting next week.

A statement on behalf of Halton Homes says it originally wanted to build a 130,000 sq ft supermarket on the site, but that when the team met Council officers “it was made very clear that there would be no support forthcoming for that use on this site”.

As a result, it came up with the alternative scheme.

The statement says the existing buildings are only partially occupied.

It says: “At the present time the site is, for the most part, empty and unused. Visually, the existing buildings which occupy a prominent frontage to a major distributor road present a moribund and neglected appearance.”

It also says they conducted some market research and there was “firm interest for a local convenience store”, which it says was not surprising given “the lack of such a facility in the area”.

The restaurant is likely to be a KFC outlet.

Planning officers have recommended the outline planning application for approval, as long as Halton Homes pays for highways works including a puffin crossing and a new bus shelter to replace an existing bus stop.

The application will be discussed at the next meeting of the Council’s Regulatory and Appeals Committee on Thursday at City Hall.

There, members of the committee are also expected to choose between four options for where the new pedestrian crossing should go.