Asda's plans to build a superstore in Keighley have been given the full backing of the Town Council.

A planned new debate by Keighley town councillors at last week's full council meeting never materialised after the man behind a motion against the development had to drop his plans to speak out.

Cllr David Petyt had tabled a motion asking for the council to oppose the plans behind the 40,000 sq ft superstore on Bradford Street, backing Bradford Council's decision earlier this year.

He believed the town council's previous support for the store needed to be debated again because of updated information. He expected the plans could hit a lot of traders in the town. But council staff advised Cllr Petyt, a menswear retailer, to withdraw his support for the motion because of a personal and prejudicial interest.

As a trader and member of the former chamber of trade, he could be reported to the standards board and would have had to leave the meeting.

Because he had already tabled the motion, which was seconded by Cllr David Miller, it could have still been debated. But nobody else came forward to support the proposal and it was defeated.

This week Cllr Petyt said he did not want to comment further on the Asda bid.

But Cllr Miller said: "We hope to get a decent argument together to put to the next meeting and see what happens."

Mayor Cllr Tony Wright said the plans would continue to receive the town council's support when they are heard by an independent appeal.

He said: "People are quite happy with the stance that we have taken. It is quite unequivocal that we firmly support the Asda bid."

Cllr Wright was also sceptical that Asda would kill the town.

He added: "I think it will bring people into the town."

Bradford Council's planning and regulatory panels both opposed Asda's bid earlier this year. They objected because of increased traffic around Bradford Street, Asda had not shown enough grounds for a store in Keighley and the land was allocated for employment use rather than retail in the council's Unitary Development Plan.

Town council planning chairman Cllr Brian Hudson said: "It is time to put it down once and for all that the people of Keighley want an Asda store. It is not up to us or to the businesses to deny them that. We deny them that at our peril."

He believed all the planning concerns could be overcome. He said there were already retail units in Lawkholme Lane and claimed Asda was a major employer. He also thought that Keighley needed another supermarket to provide a viable alternative to Morrisons.

Cllr Hudson added that he also believed it would help Keighley College's new campus development in Dalton Lane.

The Airedale Masterplan's project director, Mike Osborne, has said he believed the town would commit suicide if it allowed another supermarket to build a store on the prime employment site.

He said: "This is not just about Asda but about any other supermarket. It would threaten the retail viability of the town centre. And it would have a double effect in removing a very good warehouse facility, the equipment and skills which are essential for a modern economy in the valley."