A MAJOR town centre development will now see an increase in car charging places ready for when it opens.
And it has emerged the plans have also had to be re-drawn after a “historic right of way” was discovered.
Work is well underway on the Alexandra Mills site in Keighley, which will be the site of a new Aldi supermarket, drive thru and row of smaller shop units.
Aldi is due to move from its current town centre unit once the site is completed.
The supermarket giant has now applied to Bradford Council to amend the approved plans for the site.
One of the conditions of the approval was that the development included electric car charging bays.
The approved plan stated that before the site is completed, Aldi needed to provide four live EV bays, and set aside space for a further 20 EV bays that could be implemented in the future.
But now Aldi has applied to increase the number of EV bays that will be operational when the new store opens.
Now, 14 new bays will be created for the opening of the site – with 12 set aside as future EV bays.
The development includes a number of “retail pods” that will open onto East Parade. The original plan included a secure compound servicing these pods.
But this compound will need to be reduced in size after it emerged it would block part of a historic, cobbled right of way.
The application says: “The amendments have come about following the discovery of a historic right of way between the retail pods fronting East Parade and the neighbouring parade of retail and restaurants.
“Following an independent legal review, we have been advised to avoid encroaching on this historic right of access and honour the existing passageway which is clearly used by the neighbouring retail and restaurant parade.”
It says the compound has been reduced in size to avoid blocking any area of the right of way, and that the changes will not impact the size of the units, just the compound servicing these units.
It adds: “The amendment has no impact on the wider design and contribution towards an attractive frontage along the main road.”
Referring to the increase in car charging points, the application says of the 14 bays, 12 would be “fast” charging and two would be “superchargers.”
It adds: “Against the backdrop of national and local support for the uptake of EV charging provision, this improved provision should be welcomed.”
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