BRADFORD Council will not be changing its policy on roller shutters any time soon, a planning committee has been told.

The authority currently has a policy that prevents businesses in the district from installing solid, external security shutters on their frontage.

The authority says these shutters create a “deadening effect” on streets.

But recently a government planning inspector seemed to question this policy – overturning the Council’s decision to refuse plans for shutters on the Co-Op in Queensbury.

Co-Op store wins appeal to keep roller shutters on Queensbury branch

The Council’s Regulatory and Appeals Committee were discussing a roller shutter application at a meeting on Monday when Councillor Mike Ellis (Cons, Bingley Rural) said: “Out of interest, has that appeal decision in any way changed our roller shutter policy?”

Planning officer Mark Hutchinson replied: “No. Our planning document remains as is.

“The inspector was raising specific issues around the Co-Op building when he made the decision. It will be up to us as a Council, not an inspector, to change the policy.

“We will look at these planning documents from time to time to take into account any changes.”

The issue was raised while the committee was discussing an application for retail units at 24 Heights Lane.

Plans to turn a building at the site into two shops were approved last year. But roller shutters were installed on the building.

The new application discussed by the Committee was to replace the roller shutters with “brick bond” shutters – which the Council sees as more acceptable, and to divide the building into three units rather than two.

Members said the brick bond shutters would be an improvement over the existing roller shutters on the building.

Councillor Mohammed Amran (Lab, Heaton) said he had heard locally that the proposed third business in the building was due to be a deli.

He raised concerns that such a business could remain open until late at night.  A similar shop in the area opened almost 24 hours a day – he told the committee.

Cllr Amran suggested that limited opening hours be a condition of any approval.

He said: “There is the worry that this type of shop might have teens and kids hanging around outside.”

The Committee then approved the plans on the condition that the business only open from 8am to 8pm on Monday to Saturday and 9am to 4pm on Sunday.