Tesco has told a Government planning inspector there are no “significant downsides” to its controversial plans to build a new store and a care home in Ilkley.

An eight-day public inquiry began at Ilkley Playhouse yesterday as Tesco appealed against decisions by Bradford Council to turn down their applications for the new store in Mayfield Road and for a care home and smaller retail units on its existing site in Springs Lane.

The Council is defending its decision with the support of residents’ group Ilkley Residents Against Tesco Expansion (Irate).

The Council said the plans for a new supermarket were contrary to planning policy, while the care home proposals were refused on the grounds of loss of retail land.

All three parties will give expert evidence to the inquiry, chaired by Harold Stephens which is due to end next Friday.

Patrick Clarkson QC began Tesco’s appeal by saying it needs a new store to satisfy shopping demands and the current store is outdated and unable to cope with customers’ needs.

Mr Clarkson said hundreds of jobs would be created by the two plans and the accessibility of a new store and range of goods available would make it accessible to more than 22,000 people by bus, bicycle or on foot and reduce car journeys by 1.27 million kilometres a year. Tesco seek to stay in Ilkley and do a better job for their customers,” he concluded.

But Martin Carter, a barrister for the Council, said the proposal for the new supermarket does not fit in with policy relating to retail matters in the town and could change shopping patterns.

“We say the dismissal of the existing store site is driven simply by the desire to build a larger store for which no proper justification exists,” he said. “Trade diversion would seriously undermine the future of Ilkley town centre.”

He said the care home plan had been turned down for design reasons and the loss of retail space.

John Sanders, of Irate, said: “We will demonstrate that if the appeals were to be allowed and the concerns of the objectors subsequently vindicated, then there is no way back and the culture, prosperity, and way of life in this jewel in Wharfedale’s crown will be gone forever.”