A GARDEN centre’s plans for a major expansion will be decided by Councillors next week.

Tong Garden Centre revealed their plans, which include improvements to a lake on the site, lakeside cabins, new play areas and an expansion of the existing business, earlier this summer, saying the changes will create 40 jobs.

And on Thursday members of Bradford Council’s Regulatory and Appeals Committee will be advised to approve the plans - despite a number of objections, one of which says the changes will “effectively turn the garden centre into a retail park rather than a garden centre.”

The site is in the Green Belt, but Council planning officers say the changes would not be inappropriate for the area.

The full application is for the demolition of existing canopies, walkways and glasshouse and erection of garden centre shop extension, replacement canopy, 1,155 square metre events space, indoor play area, and store extension. Works to the lake will include biodiversity improvements, a lakeside pavilion and five small log cabins.

The application, by Tom Megginson and Mark Farnsworth, who bought the centre in 2015, says the pair are “determined to restore Tong to the iconic centre it once was.”

It adds: “Over recent years the garden centre market has been tough and our clients are keen to look to the future and consider how the garden centre can be sustained and improved in the long term.

“The aim of the current proposals is to re-establish the garden centre’s position within the Yorkshire garden centre market in order to retain existing customers, encourage old customers to return and cater for emerging customer demands; by updating the existing facilities to provide visitors with a wider selection of existing garden centre products and services from a more modern, fit for purpose environment.”

There have been eight objections to the plans, with some raising concerns about the increase in traffic the business’ expansion would cause. Others say the changes are moving the business away from a garden centre and more to an out of town shopping centre.

In response to the traffic concerns the garden centre has said the changes are: “to retain the public on site longer rather than to increase the number of visitors to the site.”

A report to the Committee recommending the plans be approved says: “The proposal provides an appropriately designed development which is limited infilling on previously developed land in the Green Belt; it is within an enclosed area situated on land that is part of an existing garden centre, therefore having no greater impact on the openness of the wider Green Belt.”

The committee meets in Bradford City Hall at 10am.