Castleford town centre beauty salon will be converted into hot food takeaway as high street ‘evolves’

Objectors critical of the policy said the town already had enough takeaways and the move represented a decline in the high street.

But another person who commented on the application said that people’s shopping habits had changed to online buying and it would be better to have the building in use than vacant.

They said: “The problem is not too many nail salons or takeaways. The problem is that the high street has changed and people don't need other types of shops down the high street.

"In 2024 people can purchase anything else on Amazon or eBay. The objections appear to be from a particular older generation who fail to embrace the evolution of the High Street.

"The alternative to change is Albion and Carlton Street end up streets of vacant and derelict properties.”

"The council would then end up further down the line having to purchase this area only to demolish all the empty premises, similar to what's happening at Kirkgage in Wakefield – at taxpayers expense (out of these objectors pockets) with compulsory purchase orders.”

But other people who commented were not convinced.

One objector said: “We already have at least FOUR hot food take-aways on this street alone, never mind the rest of Castleford.

"It would be funny if it wasn't so tragic, some places like Dewsbury are rejecting these sort of applications to give their towns a fighting chance.”

Another said: “If it's a take away that's only open on an evening then it's not bringing people “into the town during the day so the economy will suffer. Our economy is in tatters, surely we want to make positive changes."

A Wakefield Council cafe officer report concluded: “It is considered that the proposed change of use would not have an adverse impact upon highway safety, visual amenity, contaminated land, ground stability or residential amenity.

"It is therefore recommended that planning permission be granted.”

Earlier this year, in Wakefield, residents responded largely positively to plans to convert a hairdresser's into a takeaway.

The plans for Wrenthorpe Road received 15 supporting comments from people who believed it would be a good addition to the area.