South Kirkby Co-op plans approved after three years of wrangling

Controversial plans to build a Co-op on the site of an old doctor’s surgery have been approved, after nearly three years of fraught negotiations.

The supermarket chain will convert the old South Kirkby Medical Centre, on Barnsley Road in the town, into a convenience store.

The local planning committee voted unanimously to allow planning permission on Thursday.

Reacting to the news, local Labour councillor Michelle Collins, who has been a long-term opponent of the idea, said: “I’m disappointed that the Co-op has pursued planning permission knowing the level of local objection.

“Since owning the site they’ve not taken responsibility for dealing with anti-social behaviour.

“Hopefully now they have planning permission they will start treating the community with respect and start acting like a good neighbour.”

The verdict marks the end of a long-running saga which saw the Co-op’s original plans rejected by the government after concerns were raised about road safety around the premises.

At that time, local Labour councillor Steve Tulley branded the application, “the worst I’ve seen in 40 years from a health and safety point of view”.

Relations were soured further when the Co-op requested Wakefield taxpayers cover the cost of their legal bills for the case.

The supermarket maintained throughout the process that they had consulted widely with the local community and that the development will create new jobs for the area.

Amended plans, which were first put forward in 2019, have now been given the green light after concessions over how delivery lorries will come and go from the site, to minimise disturbance for neighbours.

But a request to close the shop early on weekends was turned down, with the Co-op claiming last month that no other convenience store in the country does so.

When built, the store will open from 7am to 10pm between Mondays and Saturdays. It will close one hour earlier on Sundays and bank holidays.