A start on the long-awaited £3 million redevelopment of the Sunwin House and Food Fair supermarket in Heckmondwike could be held up by a wrangle over planning conditions.

Owners Bradford-based Yorkshire Co-operatives want planning permission from Kirklees Council to demolish the dilapidated hundred-year-old three-storey Co-op store in Northgate and the neighbouring buildings.

They would be replaced by a new shops complex comprising a two-storey department store to house the Co-op, seven shops and a new free 218-space car park.

On Friday Kirklees heavy woollen area planning sub committee is being asked to withhold planning approval until the company agrees to meet certain conditions.

Tony Henry, chief executive of Yorkshire Co-operative, said: "It is likely to be next year before we can start work on the scheme because it will probably take that long to the resolve the planning matters.

"I am confident we can come to some agreement on any planning conditions imposed by the Council. The redevelopment was originally going to cost about £2 million but it will be £2.5 to £3 million now.''

Planning officers agree in principle to the scheme because they say it will help revitalise Heckmondwike as a shopping centre and improve parking in the town.

But they claim the design is "mediocre and fails to take account of the style and design of surrounding buildings''.

The company was also asked to retain features of the existing Co-op and re-use them in the new one but refused because of the expense and argues the features may have deteriorated too much to make this possible.

But planning officer Edward Wills says in a report to the committee: "Nevertheless, it is important some record of the history of the Co-op on this site should be retained and incorporated into any replacement building, in addition to the buildings being fully recorded before demolition.''

West Yorkshire Archaeology Service has no objection to the development but agrees with Mr Wills, saying that given the importance of the Co-op movement it is vital to keep a record to understand the type of building and the development of large town centre Co-ops.

Mr Wills also says environmental health officers are unhappy about a proposed service yard for deliveries being too close to residents' homes and they want strict hours of use imposed to prevent a nuisance.

Mr Wills says: "This situation would have to be resolved before any planning permission could be issued as to grant permission with an unrealistic restriction on delivery times would not be feasible for a retail development.''

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