ALDI has re-designed its plan for a new retail park in the centre of Keighley - including better pedestrian access and public spaces.

The supermarket chain is planning to re-develop a long empty site off East Parade, building a new Aldi store as well as a second large retail unit, a drive thru coffee shop and "retail pods."

The £10 million scheme went before a planning committee in November, but members deferred their decision in a bid to get the site re-developed.

Planning officers had raised numerous concerns about the plans, saying the design did not fit in with the surrounding area and its Victorian architecture.

They also claimed the site was too car-focused, and would not encourage people to walk from the development to neighbouring businesses.

Aldi urged to re-design plans for key site in Keighley

Planning Officer Stuart Currie had told the Regulatory and Appeals Committee that while the site's re-development was welcomed, the Council should not accept "development at any cost" and the design needed to be improved.

Now Aldi has returned with a re-vamped design.

The drive thru coffee shop has been moved from facing onto East Parade to the Gresty Road side of the development.

This allows for larger retail units facing onto East Parade, together with improved public areas and pedestrian ‘connectivity’ with the town centre, particularly East Parade and Coney Lane.

Details of the occupiers of the second large retail unit and the coffee shop have yet to be revealed, but at November's meeting an Aldi representative told Councillors that terms had been agreed for "two well known national retailers."

The supermarket would move from its existing unit next to the site to the new unit if the plans are approved, and the meeting was told another businesses had expressed an interest in moving into the current Aldi.

The store had said that the plans could not be drastically altered, as they were tailored to the needs of future occupiers.

A letter to Bradford Council accompanying the new design said: "We do want to work positively with the Council on the site, and we know from the feedback we have received to date that there are many people locally who are desperate to see something delivered on site.

"The site has been vacant for a long time and detracts from the local area. Because of this it is vital that any proposals achieving planning consent are deliverable.

"There is no benefit in promoting a scheme that simply cannot be implemented by the retailers involved."

"Aldi are making a considerable investment in Keighley and it is in the best interest of the company to ensure that the scheme works.

"The proposals are viable and deliverable. It would be a shame for the town if this fantastic opportunity could not be delivered."

The revised application is expected to go before the committee again later this month.