Shipley MP Chris Leslie is backing plans to build a new hotel complex to create dozens of jobs.

But concerns have been expressed that the area, which includes the Marriott Hollins Hall Hotel and Country Club and Shipley's recently opened Holiday Inn Express, may not be able to support another hotel.

As well as a two-storey hotel with pub/restaurant and parking spaces for more than 130 cars Leeds-based Contract Experts Ltd's outline application to re-develop the western half of the Butterfields industrial estate off Otley Road in Baildon would include five light industrial units. The units would provide a total of 30,000 sq ft of office space on the 1.9 hectare site, complete with more than 120 parking spaces.

Shipley MP Chris Leslie has said he supports the idea of the development in principle but acknowledges that it would provide competition for other local hotels.

He said he welcomed the development in theory as long as local residents were properly consulted and any possible additional traffic problems on the already busy A6038 Otley Road were overcome.

Mr Leslie added: "It's always preferable to recycle sites like this, that are allocated for employment use rather than open green spaces, for these sort of purposes.

"We've already got the new Holiday Inn Express just up the road in Shipley and I'd imagine this could be quite hot competition for them. But it does sound like something we might want to welcome if it will bring benefits such as the creation of new jobs to local people.''

Linda Johnson Lee, chairman of the Tong Park Forum, said: "It would obviously bring jobs to the area but we've already got hotels at Hollins Hall and the Holiday Inn at Shipley and I can't see how the area can cope with another one.

"There would also be an increase in traffic on Otley Road which is already very busy.''

Area planning officer Peter Bridge-man said it was hoped the application would be considered by members of the council's Shipley planning committee in June.

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