Plans to turn a Baildon bakers shop into a pizza takeaway have been delayedby councillors after fears about road safety.

Bradford Council's Shipley area planning panel yesterday examined Guiseley-based Meadowflare Ltd's proposed change of use for the shop on The Staithes off Baildon Road - backed by a 229-signature petition.

An officers' report recommended approval of the scheme, which prompted three letters of objection, including fears that the takeaway, which the applicant says will create three full-time and two part-time jobs, would increase noise, litter, cooking smells and parking problems.

After a site visit, councillors deferred a decision for clarification of Bradford Council's highways department's plans for the Cliffe Avenue/Baildon Road junction.

The officers' report said although there had been ten recorded personal injury accidents within 100 metres of the site in the past five years, it was not considered to be a high figure for '"a busy classified road".

The report said: "Unlike most changes of use involving hot food takeaways, this property is already used for bakery purposes with no working hours limitation. The change therefore is much more limited.

"Since it is flanked by takeaways and a late-night opening store, the additional noise disturbance is likely to be limited. There is already pedestrian and vehicluar activity."

According to the report, Meadowflare Ltd has offered to provide two litter bins, in addition to the existing one outside the premises, and to pay for or sponsor other bins.

But Councillor Phil Thornton (Lab, Shipley East) and Coun John Cole (Lib Dem, Baildon) said although they had nothing against the principle of a pizza parlour they feared it could add to traffic problems. Coun Thornton said: "Road safety on that stretch of road would be made worse by having a pizza takeaway there."