Multi-million pound plans for a Sainsbury's store in Otley are out of character with the rest of the area and would do little to encourage trade in the town centre, a scathing report by planners has said.

The supermarket hopes to build a community store on Bondgate, but a report to Leeds City councillors highlighted several major concerns about the scheme - seven months after the application was submitted.

Developers Litton Properties say they remain confident that the issues can be resolved and pledged to work with planners.

Amongst the report's criticisms were:

Planning officials believe designers have made no attempt to reflect the character of the town centre and that the store does not relate to Bondgate or the town centre.

The store should be located at the front of the site, not the back, to make sure the store is truly part of the town centre.

Officials consider that in transportation terms the site is poorly related to the rest of the town centre and is aimed at people in cars. "There is a reluctance to positively plan for non car-borne customers," the report added.

Access issues on Bondgate and servicing arrangements along Station Road and potential noise and disturbance to nearby residents have also not been resolved.

"The challenge is to ensure that the development ... functions as part of the centre and sustains and enhances its vitality and viability," the report adds.

Developers Litton have said that it would not be possible to put the store at the front of the site and consider that the building is architecturally functional, attractive and appropriate. They are trying to address noise and disturbance.

Councillors agreed to visit the site when the application comes to committee stage.

Plans for 33 apartments and 41 parking spaces at the tannery have also been submitted by Litton, but planning officials have been unable to assess the proposal and its relationship to the supermarket application.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.