New Co-op plans for South Kirkby supermarket are 'stupid', objectors say

The supermarket chain wants to convert a former medical centre on Barnsley Road in South Kirkby after submitting a second planning application last summer.

Their first attempts to move onto the site were thrown out by the government at the end of 2018.

The Co-op's new proposals have moved the drop-off point for delivery vehicles away from residential houses, which the supermarket believes will address concerns about noise.

But neighbours have still expressed doubts about how effective that will be and the impact on traffic along Barnsley Road.

A total of 35 objections have already been tabled against the application, though the names of those who wrote them have not been made public.

One resident said: "I think building a supermarket on Barnsley Road is a stupid idea.

"Barnsley Road and the roads that join Barnsley Road close to this proposed development are always very busy and traffic always has to queue.

"It is dangerous at the moment and cars shove past each other and often use the kerb as an extra lane disregarding pedestrians."

Another objector said: "As a disabled person using a mobility scooter, adding more traffic to an already busy road is a stupid idea - the area is already a dangerous junction."

Announcing the fresh plans last year, the Co-op said concerns raised by residents had been "investigated and addressed".

It also said the scheme would see investment in the local economy and create jobs.

But residents have also disputed a report from a Wales-based consultancy which claimed other South Kirkby businesses won't suffer if the Co-op is built.

Wakefield Council's planning chiefs will make a decision on the proposals in the coming months.

The site layout on the Co-op's first application was described by local councillor Steve Tulley as "the worst I've ever seen in 40 years" when he objected to it in 2018.

The Co-op later appealed to the government to decide on the matter before Wakefield Council had reached a verdict of its own.

The supermarket was also criticised for trying to get local taxpayers to cover its legal bill for the case, but that attempt was rebuffed by the government when it turned down the planning application.

Local Democracy Reporting Service